Merkur zeigt den Künsten den Weg zu einem auf einer steilen Anhöhe stehenden Heiligtum 

Arnold Houbraken made this drawing with pen and watercolor. It shows Mercury leading the arts to a temple, and can be seen as a commentary on the social role of art at the time it was made. In the Netherlands of the late 17th and early 18th century, artistic patronage was shifting. The decline of aristocratic power meant a loss of commissions for artists. Houbraken's image expresses a desire to find new patrons and to elevate the arts to a respected position in Dutch society. The figure of Mercury, messenger of the gods and patron of commerce, suggests that the arts must seek support through trade and public engagement, aligning artistic endeavors with the values of the Dutch Golden Age. To truly understand this drawing, look at how the art institutions of the Dutch Republic shaped artistic production and reception, using resources like period writings and archival records. The meaning of art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.