Ontwerp voor plafondschildering c. 1705 - 1754

Jacob de Wit made this sketch in pen and brown ink and brush in brown and gray on paper as a preparatory study for a ceiling painting. It's possible that De Wit intended the sketch as a preview for a potential patron; ceiling paintings were important commissions that enhanced domestic spaces with cultural and political meaning. Made in the Netherlands in the 18th century, the image features mythological or allegorical figures floating on clouds. The Catholic South of the Netherlands, where De Wit lived, had retained its dominance in the painting of altarpieces and ceiling decorations, and the artist successfully filled the numerous commissions he received for such works. Historians consult not only drawings like this but also contracts, letters, and other archival documents to better understand the social context that shaped the artist's work. Art such as De Wit’s reminds us that it is deeply embedded in the culture and institutions of its time.