De Doodt van Lucretia of Grondlegging der Vrijheid 1680 - 1731

Jan Goeree made this drawing in pen, brush and gray ink around the turn of the 18th century in the Netherlands. It depicts Lucretia's death and the founding of freedom, and is an allegory of political liberation. The figures strike classical poses in a scene that recalls ancient Rome, alluding to the Roman Republic. However, this subject resonates with the Dutch Republic of Goeree's time, a rising world power in the wake of its own revolt against the Spanish monarchy. Goeree uses this scene to express ideas about liberty, civic virtue, and republicanism. His audience would have been familiar with these ideas through classical literature and contemporary political discourse. Art historians can draw on prints, pamphlets and other documents to understand the meanings that were circulating in Goeree's cultural and political environment. His work reminds us that art is always entangled with the social and institutional contexts in which it is made and interpreted.