Aartsengel Michaël verslaat de draak 1720

Jacob de Wit made this drawing, "Archangel Michael defeating the dragon", using pen, brush, and grey and brown ink, with grey wash and watercolor. De Wit was a specialist in ceiling painting, an illusionistic style called “dekorstukken.” His refined technique is evident in the delicate rendering of the figures and the atmospheric perspective. The washes of ink and watercolor create a sense of depth and movement, as if we are looking up into the heavens. But it's important to remember that this wasn't just a feat of artistic skill. It was also a deeply social act. De Wit and his workshop would have been highly attuned to the desires of their wealthy patrons. The making of this artwork depended on this patronage, and the skilled labor that could bring such visions to life. By attending to the materiality and the social conditions of its production, we can understand the artwork not just as an object of beauty, but as a testament to the complex interplay of art, labor, and society in the 18th century.