Slede in de vorm van een gevleugelde draak c. 1654 - 1656

Editor: This is "Slede in de vorm van een gevleugelde draak," or "Sled in the Shape of a Winged Dragon," a pencil drawing by Gerard ter Borch from around 1654-1656. It's a rather whimsical image; what catches your eye? Curator: Well, immediately I see the powerful symbolic blend. A sled itself is transportive, symbolic of journeys and passage. Now, cast in the form of a dragon, a creature often representing power, chaos, but also wisdom, we have a fascinating tension. Editor: Tension? How so? Curator: The dragon typically soars through the air. Encasing it as a sled – binding it to the earthly plane of snow and ice – what statement do you think the artist may be making? Perhaps, this tames and domesticates raw power to be used to carry or protect. It reminds me of heraldic emblems. Do you see any family crest-like markers on the sleigh itself? Editor: I don’t. But, that makes me wonder if this was designed for a specific patron or if dragons, like those, would be considered family markers. It definitely leans toward status, almost propaganda. Curator: Perhaps for display. It shows status through association with something legendary, even fearsome, made beautiful and ornate. These mythical symbols carry different cultural weights depending on their place in our history and imagination. Editor: That's a side of the drawing I hadn’t considered. Looking at this drawing through the lens of symbols and power really opened it up for me. Curator: Absolutely, the beauty of art is that these images, like dreams, are very revealing if we simply know how to look.