Olympische goden tussen de wolken: het element lucht c. 1620 - 1655

Abraham van den Hecken created this print, "Olympische goden tussen de wolken: het element lucht" - translated as "Olympian gods among the clouds: the element air" - in the Netherlands during the 17th century. Prints like this one provided ordinary people access to classical imagery, as the gods cavort amidst the clouds. The visual codes of classical mythology are here mobilised to convey a sense of cultural refinement. In a society deeply shaped by religious divisions, mythological subjects allowed artists to explore themes of beauty, pleasure, and power outside the confines of strict religious doctrine. It is likely the image also functioned as a status symbol for the growing middle class in the Netherlands, demonstrating their knowledge of classical culture. To truly understand a work like this, we might consult emblem books, classical texts, and the inventories of collectors from the period to piece together its original context. Art, you see, is always a product of its time.