Ontwerp voor een titelpagina met een vrouw met een monstrans 1763 - 1826

This title page design was created by Abraham van Strij, likely with pen and brush, using ink and watercolor. Look closely, and you’ll see the artist has cleverly employed a limited palette of earth tones. Washed areas of colour are juxtaposed with crisp pen lines to create depth and texture. But beyond this traditional technique, consider how the subject matter itself is a reflection of its time. The woman and her monstrance are symbolic, of course. Yet so too is the potted orange tree in the background. This motif would have been read as a signifier of prosperity – a display of wealth made possible by colonial trade networks. Such trade was fuelled by intense labor. So when you look at this delicate drawing, consider it as more than just a decorative image. It's also a snapshot of a society in transition, grappling with new forms of exchange and exploitation. Thinking about making, materiality, and context can change how we understand such an artwork. It connects this design to broader issues of labor, politics, and consumption, blurring the lines between fine art and the everyday.