Allegory of Age 

Jacob Matham created "Allegory of Age" using pen and brown ink, with brown wash on laid paper. It is a study on the different stages of life. Matham was a prolific printmaker. This drawing gives us a chance to see how that work began, with the skilled application of line. Note the economy with which he indicates the textures of skin and fabric. The pen strokes do not just represent the contours of the figures; they also communicate information about the softness of flesh, and the weight of the turban. The rapid strokes and washes add to the sense of spontaneous creation. In Matham’s time, drawing was a form of intellectual labor, a means of developing ideas that would then be translated into other mediums. This drawing is a testament to the artist's skill, but it is also an example of how drawing could be used to explore complex concepts. It challenges our assumptions about what constitutes "finished" art, and reminds us that the process of making can be just as important as the final product.