Studie van twee hoofden 1485 - 1490

Studie van twee hoofden is a small, early print made by the Master of the Amsterdam Cabinet. These images are of two heads, one a child, the other an adult, both framed by curly hair. In the absence of historical records, we can ask ourselves: how do these faces speak to the intersectional nature of representation? The images are intimate, yet remote. The lack of background details or narrative context turns them into studies of universal human conditions. The artist's approach to depicting his subjects reflects a society where the physical appearance of a person was often intertwined with their perceived worth. The figures in Studie van twee hoofden prompt us to consider how notions of beauty and innocence, particularly in relation to gender and age, have historically been constructed and upheld in art. They challenge us to think about who gets to be seen, and how representation shapes the identities of those portrayed, and those who are not.