Sculptuur van een faun 1646 - 1670

This is Hubert Quellinus’s small etching of a sculpted faun. It’s likely a study for a larger work and embodies the cultural fascination with classical antiquity prevalent in the Netherlands during the 17th century. The image itself creates meaning through visual codes. The faun, a mythological figure associated with nature, freedom, and revelry, is rendered with classical features. This reflects the period's interest in harmonizing pagan and Christian beliefs, where classical forms were reinterpreted through a Christian lens. The institutional context is significant here. Artists like Quellinus often drew inspiration from sculptures found in private collections, but their visual style was heavily influenced by art academies. The etching invites us to consider the social conditions that shaped artistic production in the Dutch Golden Age. It also emphasizes the power of art to challenge existing social norms. Historical sources, such as artists' biographies, guild records, and inventories of collections, help us to understand the institutional and social context that gave rise to this image.