Filip døber ætioperdronningen Kandakes skatmester 1572

Maarten van Heemskerck’s ‘Filip døber ætioperdronningen Kandakes skatmester’ was made using pen and brown ink on paper. It's a good example of how a simple medium can be used to capture complex narratives. The choice of pen and ink – humble materials, easily portable – speaks to the function of this work. Van Heemskerck wasn't aiming for the grandeur of an oil painting. Instead, he used the fluidity of ink to create a detailed composition, rich in movement. The line work varies in thickness, creating depth and shadow, giving form to the figures and landscape. This approach relies on traditional skills of draftsmanship, honed through practice. Drawings like this one were often preparatory studies for larger works, or independent works of art made for a growing market of collectors. Pen and ink drawings allowed artists to explore ideas and experiment with compositions in a relatively quick and inexpensive way. The directness of the medium provides us with an insight into the artist’s process and their connection to the wider world.