Allegory of America

Art Historical Context

Created around 1696 by Dutch artist Philip Tideman, *Allegory of America* is a delicate preparatory drawing executed in brush and gray ink over graphite, with incised lines indicating it was designed for transfer to a printing plate. Such works were common in the late seventeenth century, when artists produced detailed studies for engravings that would adorn books, maps, and decorative prints celebrating the expanding European worldview. The composition reflects the era’s fascination with the four continents, portraying America through symbolic figures and natural elements. Tags reveal the pr...