Allegorie met verdrijving van Nijd en Tweedracht

Jan Wandelaar created this drawing, "Allegory with the Expulsion of Envy and Discord," in the Netherlands, sometime in the first half of the 18th century. The figures at the bottom are being driven out by the gods above. It's a scene of conflict and expulsion, likely reflecting the social and political tensions of the time. The Dutch Republic in the 1700s was a society grappling with economic decline and internal divisions. Consider the visual codes at play here. Classical allusions were frequently used to comment on the present. By invoking these references, Wandelaar positions his work within a tradition of moral and political commentary. To truly understand this artwork, we need to look at sources that shed light on the cultural and institutional context of the Dutch Republic such as period pamphlets, political cartoons, and the records of civic organizations. This work serves as a potent reminder that art is always contingent on its social and institutional context.