Triumphal Chariot. Invidia (Envy) 1563

Maarten van Heemskerck made this drawing, Triumphal Chariot. Invidia (Envy), using pen and brown ink in 1563. The labor in this work is not to be confused with the labor it depicts. Notice how Heemskerck deploys careful hatching and cross-hatching to model the figures and create a sense of depth. Look at the painstaking articulation of the horses’ muscles and the intricate details of the chariot. This wasn't a quick sketch, but a carefully considered composition, demanding patience and control. This is slow work, by hand. The drawing depicts a chariot, pulled by horses and fueled by enslaved people. The driver brandishes a whip. The figure enthroned on the chariot drinks from a chalice. This is all allegory, of course, and Heemskerck would have expected his educated audience to recognize it as such. But think about it, the image isn’t just about allegory and intellect; it is a physical testament to the artist’s own labor. So next time you encounter a drawing like this, consider not only its symbolic content, but also the physical act of its making.