Fragment of a Model for a Spandrel Ornament with Several Shells, for the Amsterdam Town Hall (now Royal Palace) at Dam Square 1650 - 1651

This is a fragment of a model sculpted by Artus Quellinus in the 17th century, intended for the Amsterdam Town Hall, now the Royal Palace. The Dutch Golden Age saw Amsterdam emerge as a major center of trade and wealth, and the Town Hall was conceived as a symbol of the city's power and civic identity. Quellinus, a Flemish sculptor, was commissioned to create numerous sculptures for the building's interior and exterior, many with marine themes alluding to Amsterdam's maritime strength. This model, with its shells and flowing forms, embodies the Baroque style popular at the time, which was promoted by the Catholic Church. But the Town Hall was a thoroughly Republican project, so it is interesting to see how this visual culture could be appropriated by the Amsterdam elite. To understand this piece better, we can look at the architectural plans for the Town Hall and Quellinus’s other work. The study of art in its social and institutional setting shows us how artistic styles reflect the values and ambitions of a society.