Maenade c. 1701

This is Jacob Toorenvliet’s drawing of a ‘Maenad’ whose date is unknown, rendered with red chalk on paper. The sanguine monochrome immediately lends the image a classical feel, evoking drawings by Italian Renaissance masters. The figure is set against a blank background. The Maenad is caught mid-dance, tambourine raised above her head. Look at how Toorenvliet uses line and shading to describe her dynamically twisting pose. Light and shadow define the curves of her body, the folds of her drapery, and the contours of her limbs. The hatching technique suggests depth and volume. The energy is palpable, her movement frozen in time. This drawing reflects classical themes popular in art. It speaks to broader artistic and philosophical concerns of its time. The formal qualities of the work—the dynamism, the anatomical attention, the classical references—are integral to the work's meaning and its participation in a larger cultural dialogue.