Zinnebeeldige voorstelling van de intocht der Geallieerden in Parijs, 31 maart 1814 1814

Jurriaan Andriessen created this drawing around 1814 using pen and brush in grey ink and grey wash on paper. Its monochrome palette and relatively small scale might lead you to think of this as merely a preparatory sketch, perhaps for a larger, more elaborate history painting. Yet Andriessen was a specialist in decorative painting, known for working at a large scale. Here, the artist applied traditional drawing techniques to depict a contemporary political event: the entry of Allied forces into Paris. While the subject is topical, the allegorical imagery recalls the grand tradition of tapestry design, complete with classical figures amidst the clouds. The contrast in styles and medium is striking: the graphic immediacy of drawing combined with the timelessness of allegory. Andriessen would have been highly attuned to the political implications of this image. Its seeming simplicity belies the complex negotiation between fine art and craft, and the artist's own position within that dynamic.