Ontwerp (1) voor alliantiewapen 1743 - 1785

This design for an alliance coat-of-arms was made in the 18th century by Jan Brandes using pen and watercolor on paper. It’s a fairly straightforward combination of techniques, but the impact lies in how Brandes deploys them. Watercolor is usually seen as a delicate, provisional medium, good for sketching. But here, it is used to create a symbol of dynastic power. Coats of arms like this one represent a consolidation of family lines and, by extension, of wealth and status. You can see the careful hatching and controlled washes, designed to give an impression of permanence, rather than the fleeting quality we associate with landscapes and portraits made in watercolor. Brandes has clearly put a great deal of labour into this small work on paper, in order to convey a very big message about the alliance of powerful families. This reminds us that all art is in some sense a form of craft, intended to have impact in the world.