Allegorisk komposition 1671 - 1738

This drawing, "Allegorisk komposition," was created by Hendrik Krock using pen and brown ink with grey wash on paper. The technique has a direct bearing on the drawing’s airy, unfinished quality. Note how Krock has freely applied the wash, allowing it to pool and bleed. The composition is built up through layers of transparent strokes. Look closely, and you can see the individual marks and hatched lines that define the figures and forms. This approach emphasizes the artist's hand and the immediacy of the creative process. Drawings like this one were often preparatory studies, made in advance of larger, more finished works. They were a means for artists to explore ideas, experiment with composition, and work out details before committing to a final design. This one gives us insight into the working methods of artists of the period, and encourages us to appreciate the skill and labor involved in artistic production.