Ontwerp voor een monument voor Jan van Speijk, 1831 1831

This is an anonymous 1831 design for a monument to Jan van Speijk, created with pen, black ink, and gray wash. The monument's structure is a study in symbolic geometry, rising from a square base through tiered steps to a central, framed relief, topped by an obelisk and crowned with a sphere. The lion, regal and alert, seems poised between memorializing and guarding. The gray wash technique adds depth, shadowing the forms and emphasizing the monument's architectural nature, while the crisp lines articulate details such as the crowd of figures and the lion's textured mane. The semiotic interplay here—the lion as a symbol of Dutch courage, the obelisk a timeless symbol of remembrance—creates a layered narrative. The overall composition evokes a sense of gravity and enduring respect, inviting contemplation on the themes of heroism and national identity.