Schilder en zijn model 1683 - 1746

Nicolaas Verkolje made this print, "Painter and Model," sometime around 1700 in the Netherlands. It depicts a scene of artistic production, but also encodes ideas about class, gender, and the institutions of art. Note that it isn't just the central female figure who is "on display" here. The artist himself is being scrutinized by a well-to-do patron looking over his shoulder. This reminds us that artistic production in this period was often dependent on commissions from wealthy elites. While the artist is supposedly the one in control, his social position is actually quite precarious. The presence of the nude model was a signal of artistic ambition, aligning the artist with a classical tradition. Yet it also hints at the economic realities of the art world. To understand this print, we have to consider the institutions of art in the Dutch Republic, as well as the complex social dynamics of the studio. We might look to period documents, such as artists' inventories, to better understand this world.