Ontwerp voor een gedenkteken met het portret van een vrouw vastgehouden door de Tijd 1678 - 1736

Jan Claudius de Cock created this pen and brown ink drawing of a memorial design. The lines are delicate but sure, which suggests considerable skill and practice with the quill. The design depicts Time holding a portrait of a woman, flanked by allegorical figures of mourning. De Cock pays close attention to the way the ink settles on the page, creating depth and shadow. The fine hatching, especially on the figure of Time, gives the figures a sculptural presence. This drawing wasn't created as an end in itself. It’s a proposal, a first step in realizing a monument, which would have been a very different undertaking, requiring masons, carvers, and a patron willing to fund the project. The drawing, with its relatively cheap materials, represents an early stage of artistic labor, before significant financial investment. Considering this piece, we see how “high art” has always relied on many different kinds of making.