Ereboog voor het stadhuis, 1816 1816

This is a design for a temporary structure, drawn around 1816 with pen, brush and watercolour, possibly in preparation for a royal visit. The drawing’s clean lines and careful shading give it a sense of three-dimensionality, as if it were a scale model. The design mimics a classical temple, alluding to enduring values, and the “W” at the centre of the triangular pediment indicates it was likely dedicated to King William I. But the material reality would have been quite different. The design would have been erected using carpentry, likely with canvas stretched over the wood to simulate stone. The whole project would have been managed by craftspeople, with possibly hundreds of people involved in construction, transportation, and decoration. When we consider this drawing, it's important to remember that it represents a transient event, a moment of spectacle achieved through considerable labor and skill. The drawing, itself a product of hand work, points us to the broader social context of its making.