Paneel met Victoria 1686 - 1724

This panel with Victoria, created anonymously, is an intricate design rendered on paper. The artist used ink to create the image, working with hatching and cross-hatching to define form. The print meticulously outlines an architectural panel, richly ornamented with classical motifs. Note the figure of Victoria, the Roman goddess of victory, flanked by cherubic figures. The linear quality and precise detail suggest the use of specialized tools, such as fine-pointed pens or etching needles. As a design, this panel would have been intended as a model for production, perhaps as a carved wood panel. The labor required to translate this design into a three-dimensional form would have been considerable, demanding great skill. This type of work blurs the lines between design and craft, with an appeal to fine-art aesthetics. The panel serves as a reminder of the many skilled hands and hours of labor involved in the creation of decorative objects. The very act of making infuses the work with cultural and social meaning.