Studieblad met tekenvoorbeelden: koppen en dieren 1610 - 1672

This is Michael Snijders’s drawing comprised of heads and animals, made during the 17th century. The sheet offers us insight into the artist's world, a time when the visual language of art was deeply intertwined with social and political identities. Consider how, during the 17th century, European society was rigidly hierarchical, with aristocratic power often legitimized through classical and mythological imagery. Each head is adorned with different helmets, each a complex symbol of power, status, and cultural identity. These aren’t just head coverings, they are statements which reveal each person's place in the world. Notice how the faces themselves are rendered with a kind of classical stoicism, a common way to depict nobility and authority. And then, there are the animals, each with its own symbolic weight. In this historical context, think about how Snijders uses these elements to subtly comment on the attributes of leadership. Does the hedgehog represent defensiveness, or the lamb, innocence? Snijder’s work invites us to consider who gets to wear the helmet, who gets to be seen as powerful, and what faces are represented and which are excluded.