De ridder en de hond c. 1834 - 1882

Adrien Joseph Verhoeven-Ball created this graphite drawing called "The Knight and the Dog" at an unknown date. This sketch evokes a sense of medievalism, a common interest during the 19th century in Europe as nations sought to define their identities. The figure is a cross between the noble knight on horseback, and the wandering minstrel. The dog sitting on the ground only enhances the idea of a medieval traveler. Verhoeven-Ball was from a well-established family of artists in the Netherlands. He studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in The Hague, an institution that helped to shape the development of Dutch art. The sketch gives a nod to Dutch Golden Age painting, when genre scenes were popular, but it presents an idealized view of the past rather than commenting on contemporary social issues. To fully understand the artwork, a historian might consult auction records, exhibition catalogues, or family archives. The meaning of art is dependent on the social and institutional context in which it was created.