Design for a Title Page 1610 - 1675

Abraham van Diepenbeeck made this ink and wash drawing, "Design for a Title Page," in the Netherlands, sometime in the 17th century. Title pages, like the one imagined here, were not just functional; they also served as announcements of the book’s content. This title page uses imagery related to power, authority and influence. We see allegorical figures of Justice and Plenty flanking the portrait, which is itself wreathed in laurel – a sign of triumph. Above, cherubs surround a coat-of-arms, an additional signifier of nobility. These are cultural codes that tell the viewer that the book, and its author, are sanctioned by earthly and divine powers. Art historians use sources, such as emblem books, to decode iconographic programs like the one seen here. By studying the socio-political context in which art is made, we can learn much about the role of art in shaping cultural values.