Studie voor een staande Minerva 1632 - 1672

Abraham van den Tempel created this study of Minerva, goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare, with chalk on grey paper. Van den Tempel lived during the Dutch Golden Age, a period of great wealth for the Dutch Republic when art became more accessible to the wider public. His choice to depict Minerva reflects an interest in classical antiquity which was very much en vogue. Yet, this work begs the question, how do we represent power and knowledge? Here, Minerva’s gaze drifts upwards, as if contemplating higher truths or strategies. Her clothing, while classical in style, also aligns with contemporary fashion of the Dutch Golden Age. Consider how the artist merges the visual language of mythology with the everyday. This approach reflects a society in transition, grappling with its identity and place in the world. It asks us to reflect on how we construct our own ideas of authority.