Standing woman with a spear c. 1630 - 1670

Curator: Here we have Govert Flinck's "Standing Woman with a Spear," created sometime between 1630 and 1670. It’s currently held in the Rijksmuseum collection. Editor: My immediate reaction is a question. The pose strikes me as both vulnerable and powerful. Her gaze is intense, almost confrontational, but she's also unclothed and slightly turned away. Curator: Well, the choice of medium is significant; it's executed in charcoal, or possibly red chalk. Flinck was clearly interested in the academic approach to art. These nude studies, with their echoes of classical antiquity, were a staple of artistic training. The spear situates her, perhaps, as an allegorical figure—maybe Minerva or perhaps just as a posed model meant to embody classical ideals of female strength, within the context of Baroque artistic values. Editor: Right, that contrast is key! She's referencing these powerful classical figures but also feels distinctly of her time. This positioning as "academic" I feel demands interrogation in the sense that in the context of an artistic educational study and nude body meet, this poses questions as to who gets to see the art? What is its intended role beyond 'academia?' Curator: That's a critical point. The access to and creation of such images were incredibly restricted and curated during this period. We can also read it within the political lens. How did images like these perpetuate power dynamics and hierarchies within the art world, and, more broadly, in society itself? Editor: It is impossible to think of an artistic composition outside of politics and these constraints. We need to ask what ideologies does her form uphold, resist, or reveal? Her pose has such inherent visual power with the implementation of a very earthly instrument, making the drawing even more captivating. Curator: Absolutely. Flinck's drawing offers a fascinating lens through which to consider both the artistic conventions and social currents of his time. The power of figuration never seems to fail. Editor: Indeed, the act of seeing itself becomes a critical issue. Her figure really allows us to critically question ourselves.