Frans Snijders en zijn vrouw Margaretha de Vos 1620 - 1691

This drawing at the Rijksmuseum depicts the Flemish Baroque painter Frans Snijders and his wife Margaretha de Vos. Although anonymous, the artist has offered us a glimpse into the lives of the Antwerp elite in the 17th century. Through its visual codes and cultural references, the drawing highlights the couple's status and their relationships within the Antwerp art world. Frans Snijders was known for his animal and still-life paintings, while Margaretha came from an artistic family. Her brother, Cornelis de Vos, was a prominent portrait painter, linking Snijders to a broader network of artists and patrons. The work also tells us something about the rising status of artists in this period. Artists no longer had to rely on the patronage of the church or aristocracy, but could make a name for themselves as merchants. Further research into the archives of Antwerp might reveal more about the social conditions that shaped this drawing and the lives of the people it portrays.