Monument voor O.L.V. Onbevlekt Ontvangen 1857 - 1859

This design for a monument to the Immaculate Conception was sketched by Pierre Cuypers. The linear quality of the drawing captures the intricate details of the proposed stone sculpture, notably the figure of the Virgin Mary. Cuypers was a leading figure in the Gothic Revival movement in the Netherlands, emphasizing a return to medieval craftsmanship. This meant not only aesthetics, but also process. The monument would have begun in a quarry, where laborers extracted stone, followed by stonemasons who carved each component by hand. The monument's texture, weight, and solidity would have been a direct result of this labor-intensive process. By invoking the craftsmanship of the past, Cuypers aimed to connect with a sense of collective identity and spiritual values, in contrast to the industrial production increasingly dominant in his time. Ultimately, this drawing reminds us that the value of art lies not only in its appearance, but in the human effort and cultural values embedded in its making.