Sheet of Studies including a Woman Lying Ill in Bed

Rembrandt van Rijn

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts several figures in various positions. In the top left corner, a pair of individuals are shown from the waist up. One appears to be elderly with a beard and wearing a hat, while the other stands close by, wearing a long robe and a hat. Below them in the center of the drawing, a man is lying horizontally with his head slightly raised and supported by his arm, wearing a loose garment and hat. In the lower section, two figures are depicted from the shoulders up—the left figure has a large hat and curly hair, while the right figure wears a large hat with visible facial hair. In the upper right, a person is shown lying sideways with their head resting on a pillow. Nearby, an additional smaller face is partially visible beneath the central reclining figure. The sketch is unfinished and captured in an unembellished style with visible hatch lines defining areas and suggesting shadows. The background is minimal.