This thesis examines a collection of drawings by Abraham Delfos (1731-1820), an eighteenth-century engraver and draftsman from Leiden. Housed in the Print Room of Leiden University Libraries, these...Show moreThis thesis examines a collection of drawings by Abraham Delfos (1731-1820), an eighteenth-century engraver and draftsman from Leiden. Housed in the Print Room of Leiden University Libraries, these drawings predominantly consist of reproductions made after seventeenth-century paintings. Despite the fact that reproductions were a common practice and a typical eighteenth-century phenomenon, they have received limited attention from researchers. By examining Delfos' drawings within the broader context of his time, including his role as a director and his involvement in the establishment of drawing academy Ars Aemula Naturae, as well as his art dealership, this research uncovers the historical significance of these artworks. The study explores the factors that influenced changing attitudes towards reproductions and their growing popularity in the eighteenth century. Through a comprehensive analysis of Delfos' drawings, insights are gained into the influences shaping his artistic approach, the role of art education, and the perception of reproductions. These drawings serve as valuable windows into the past, offering a unique perspective on the interplay between art, education, societal development, and the evolving status of reproductions in the eighteenth century. The exploration not only highlights Delfos as an artist but also enriches our understanding of the artistic and cultural landscape of the time.Show less
This thesis examines the paintings of Henry Scott Tuke (1858-1929) against the backdrop of late Victorian and Edwardian Britain, exploring how his depictions of naked youths at the British seaside...Show moreThis thesis examines the paintings of Henry Scott Tuke (1858-1929) against the backdrop of late Victorian and Edwardian Britain, exploring how his depictions of naked youths at the British seaside navigated and subverted dominant cultural narratives of gender and sexuality. The study employs a multidisciplinary approach, integrating the lens of “the queer gaze,” multiple social-historical contexts in relation to the seaside, and critical reception. The first chapter delves into Tuke's portrayal of naked youths, revealing layers of homoerotic desire and voyeurism. Through visual analysis, Tuke's paintings are shown to evoke both childhood innocence and charged intimacy, inviting viewers to question and interpret the subtle sensuality within them. The second chapter examines the significance of the British seaside in Tuke's work, highlighting its idealized portrayal as a utopia of leisure and a masculine homosocial space. The final chapter explores the reception of Tuke's paintings during his lifetime and in current perspectives, revealing a nuanced tension between tradition and innovation in both style and subject. Tuke's depictions of naked youths at the beach occupy a liminal space between convention and novelty, both accepted by the critics of his time as well as the Royal Academy and celebrated by queer fringe groups. Overall, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of Tuke's work while shedding light on broader discussions surrounding the representation of gender and sexuality in art history.Show less
This thesis conducts a detailed exploration of transcultural curation through the lens of the controversy surrounding Taring Padi's People's Justice at Documenta Fifteen. It delves into the...Show moreThis thesis conducts a detailed exploration of transcultural curation through the lens of the controversy surrounding Taring Padi's People's Justice at Documenta Fifteen. It delves into the thematic and artistic choices of Documenta, focusing on the co-curation model spearheaded by ruangrupa and its impact on transcultural exhibitions. The analysis extends to Germany's historical context concerning Documenta and the response to People's Justice. Additionally, it highlights the influence of Indonesia's Reformasi movement on the art collectives Taring Padi and ruangrupa, shaping the narrative of Documenta Fifteen. This study probes the diverse interpretations and reactions to People's Justice in Germany, alongside the media's depiction of these cultural exchanges. It further explores the 'politics of belonging' concept by Yuval-Davis, shedding light on the complex dynamics of curating politically charged art. By emphasising the critical need for curators and artists to deeply understand the cultural and historical contexts of their work in different contexts, the research advocates for the use of interpretive tools—like spatial arrangements and thematic groupings—to address the complexities of artworks such as People's Justice. Concluding with acknowledging the evolving challenges in the art world, this thesis highlights the tension between artistic freedom and cultural sensitivity. It calls for further research into transcultural curation, audience reception studies, and the impact of co-curation models.Show less
Medusa is an ongoing traditional subject within art. However, she is often depicted as an objectified version of her decapitated head or as a demonised version of a woman. In this research, I...Show moreMedusa is an ongoing traditional subject within art. However, she is often depicted as an objectified version of her decapitated head or as a demonised version of a woman. In this research, I analysed if contemporary artworks were depicting Medusa as feminine and monstrous by researching and discussing her physical features, as well as determining what these aspects can tell us about contemporary society. This was achieved through the use of three case studies; Luciano Garbati’s Medusa with the Head of Perseus, Damien Hirst’s The Severed Head of Medusa, and PichiAvo’s Medusa. Through visual analysis and comparison, combined with literary and visual contextualisation from both contemporary and historic times, it was determined that contemporary artworks tend to stray from the stereotypical media portrayal of Medusa as a beast. Each artwork had feminine and monstrous aspects, each with different intentions and reasons. What they ended up showing within society is that Medusa’s story is being retold and the arts are helping convey this message. While some still focus on the monetary gains of art, others use their artworks of Medusa to support female empowerment.Show less
The Aztec are frequently defined by their ruthless battles, blood sacrifices, magical shamans and ancient culture. This narrative has been maintained in museums of ethnography, where emphasis is...Show moreThe Aztec are frequently defined by their ruthless battles, blood sacrifices, magical shamans and ancient culture. This narrative has been maintained in museums of ethnography, where emphasis is put on religion and ritual, at the expense of technological innovation. This paper examines the Aztec uses of highly advanced technology (i.e., civil engineering, architecture, agriculture, metallurgy, information technology) and whether these aspects are represented in the collections of the British Museum (London), the Pitt Rivers Museum (Oxford) and the Volkenkunde Museum (Leiden). Furthermore, this paper offers a rhetorical analysis on how these collections are being displayed in the museums’ permanent exhibitions and what narrative the museums are persuading their visitors of. It concludes that the collections within the museums in question are not indicative of innovative advancements, resulting in the primitivizing of the Aztec Empire and condemning them further back in the alleged evolutionary timeline.Show less
Despite their recent, steep rise in prominence and value, non-fungible tokens - abbreviated to NFTs - remain a still under-researched form of digital art. Beyond this thesis, no studies have been...Show moreDespite their recent, steep rise in prominence and value, non-fungible tokens - abbreviated to NFTs - remain a still under-researched form of digital art. Beyond this thesis, no studies have been conducted which address curatorial strategies for their museum exhibition. Such institutions are reputedly technology-averse - a notion reflected in their broadly slow, hesitant uptake and exploration of the NFT medium. Accordingly, this thesis aims to furnish the museum sector with awareness, inspiration, and confidence regarding NFT art, leading to and influencing its future display. It ascertains the extent to which current strategies for NFTs’ digital display reflect the works’ medium-specific attributes as well as that to which they subvert entrenched museum hierarchies between artist, curator, and visitor. To do so, three digital NFT exhibitions and platforms are focalised: Katsushika Hokusai on La Collection, Ethereal Aether in the Celestial Hermitage, and the eponymous Victor Castillo on Decentraland. Each is distinct in its mode of NFT curation and is analysed individually prior to comparatively. Curated by the British Museum and State Hermitage respectively, the initial two platforms stand amongst the largest scale museum engagements with NFT to date. Decentraland is no museum but a user-owned metaverse world within which NFTs are displayed. Its decentralised nature mirrors the form of NFTs themselves, yet whether its mode of exhibition ought to be replicated within the museum sector remains debatable owing to financial and technological barriers. Here, no ideal framework is proposed. Instead, aspects of each platform should both caution and inspire.Show less
The recent field of Museums in Health researches the outcomes of museum projects, exhibitions, and visits on the health and wellbeing of the public. While a growing number of studies are aimed at...Show moreThe recent field of Museums in Health researches the outcomes of museum projects, exhibitions, and visits on the health and wellbeing of the public. While a growing number of studies are aimed at researching collaborative museum projects and exhibitions, a wider evidence base demonstrating museums’ essential role in public health and wellbeing is still lacking. This research is aimed at determining the correlation between museum projects and the mental and physical health and wellbeing of project participants. This correlation is examined through an analysis of the Messy Realities project, held between 2018 and 2022 at the Pitt Rivers Museum in Oxford; qualitative data provided by the project team is reviewed and compared to similar initiatives based in the United Kingdom. This research has found that the Messy Realities project had positive outcomes on the health and wellbeing of the project’s community participants: these outcomes were found to be related to role enactment practices, object handling activities, and to the museum as a collaborative environment. Nevertheless, further research based on quantitative evidence is recommended to unequivocally demonstrate a positive correlation between collaborative museum projects and the enhancement of health and wellbeing.Show less
The thesis explores how digitisation of museum collections in Mauritshuis museum and Kunstmuseum Den Haag has helped make collections more accessible, promoted online and preserved for future...Show moreThe thesis explores how digitisation of museum collections in Mauritshuis museum and Kunstmuseum Den Haag has helped make collections more accessible, promoted online and preserved for future generations. The first chapter explores how the digitisation of collection has materialised and how the Covid-19 pandemic has shaped the ways museums can provide access and promote cultural heritage. The second chapter dives into each criteria – accessibility, promotion and preservation, exploring benefits and limits of connecting with the audience through the web. The third chapter goes into comparison between approaches and visual access of the digitised collections in the Mauritshuis and the Kunstmuseum Den Haag. Through the comparison, the paper highlights that the Mauritshuis museum has a significant advantage in the 360 Gigapixel museum that allows the visitors to enter the 3D model of the museum through a devise, while as the Kunstmuseum is still in the process of digitising its vast collection and puts greater emphasis on the preservation, by digitising their exhibitions as well.Show less
Copying other artists' paintings was an essential practice in the nineteenth century and has a rich culture. For art students, copying and that way learning from the old masters was seen as a vital...Show moreCopying other artists' paintings was an essential practice in the nineteenth century and has a rich culture. For art students, copying and that way learning from the old masters was seen as a vital element of their education. Also for artists it was essential to control the techniques of great artists to develop their inventiveness. The Sistine Madonna altarpiece by Raphael (1483-1520) was famous among students and artists who wanted to copy Raphael’s painting skills, sell a copy on the art market, or keep it in their possession. This painting also caught the attention of Paul Tétar van Elven (1823-1896), a Dutch artist who made nine painted (partial) copies of the Sistine Madonna next to some drawings. However, some of Tétar's copies are not faithfully copied, but instead, he has managed to add his own touches. This research investigates the copying culture and creative freedom of copyists in the nineteenth century, treating the copies of the Sistine Madonna by Paul Tétar van Elven after Raphael as a case study. The research question of this thesis therefore addresses the context in which the nineteenth-century Dutch artist Paul Tétar van Elven added his own touches to his (partial) copies of the Sistine Madonna after Raphael.Show less
In the twenty-first century, many artists show an interest in early modern collections, and this fascination has manifested itself in their artistic practice. Especially the cabinet of curiosity is...Show moreIn the twenty-first century, many artists show an interest in early modern collections, and this fascination has manifested itself in their artistic practice. Especially the cabinet of curiosity is frequently reintroduced, cited and reappropriated, with underlying concepts and visual tactics resurfacing. It will be determined to what extent visual or conceptual phenomena are reinterpreted or referenced by discussing the work of Steffen Dam, Damien Hirst, Marc Dion, and Marc Quinn. In their art, there is a revival of the traditions of collecting, classifying, categorising, ordering and displaying the natural world. Furthermore, the interrelationship between art and science forms a prominent factor. This study aims to identify the main influences, strategies and connections to the curiosity cabinet and explore to what extent these are reflected in work by these artists. Various case studies will be discussed using visual analysis. Primary and secondary sources will be used to support this visual analysis to uncover possible connections and gain insight into the artists' sources of inspiration and intent. It will be considered how far their methods are tied to curiosity collections. The goal is to determine the collective characteristics present in those case studies. This will add to the comprehension of the main historical influences on these artists and the interconnection between their artistic practices.Show less
The Brazilian portraits made by Maurits’ court painter Albert Eckhout have been frequently discussed by scholars and were presented in, among others, the exhibition In Brazil with Albert Eckhout....Show moreThe Brazilian portraits made by Maurits’ court painter Albert Eckhout have been frequently discussed by scholars and were presented in, among others, the exhibition In Brazil with Albert Eckhout. In the literature, the paintings were multiple times described as ethnographic portraits. However, it was in doubt if these life-size portraits can be identified as ethnographic portraits as this genre of the ethnographic portrait developed ages later when photography was invented. This research aimed to answer what position Eckhout’s life-size portraits of the Tapuya people in Brazil of the seventeenth century occupy in relation to Abraham de Bruyn’s costume book of 1581 and the portraits of the Navaho people made by Edward S. Curtis in his photo book The North American Indian. Based on art historical analysis, and visual analysis it can be concluded that Eckhout’s life-size portraits can be placed in a transitional space between the national type of the sixteenth-century book costumes based on attributes and costumes and the ethnographic portraits of the nineteenth century.Show less
