Mars kneeling in front of Venus (_) 

Pieter Tanjé made this drawing with pen and brush in brown ink, depicting Mars kneeling in front of Venus. The narrative presentation of classical mythology was a popular practice for the cultural elite in 18th century Netherlands. But let’s think about how Tanjé’s image creates meaning. For one, it evokes the tradition of courtly love, which may have been viewed as outdated and out of touch with the realities of the time. The drawing might, then, be a conservative reflection on the perceived loss of traditional values and the rise of more secular and pragmatic ways of life. The very public role of the artist was increasingly coming under pressure by the free market. To truly understand this artwork, historians consult various research resources, such as period literature, social and economic histories, and institutional records. These shed light on the social conditions that shaped artistic production and reception during the 18th century. Art's meaning is contingent on its social and institutional context.