Artwork preview

The Artist Drawing from the Model

Rembrandt van Rijn

National Gallery of Art

The image shows a sketch with a figure in the center, depicted from the back, with only the lower half of the body detailed and the rest only partially outlined. The person is standing and turned slightly to the right, with their facial features not clearly visible due to the light outline. They appear to have a cloth wrapped around their head. A palm frond is sketched beside them. To their right, another figure is seen from the side, waist up, turned towards the standing figure, draped in textured fabric. On the left, a crouching figure is sketched, shown from the side, wearing a head cloth and appearing to hold something close to them. The background is heavily shaded in the top half, suggesting a darker space, with abstract or unfinished elements surrounding the main figures.

Artwork Details

Date
c. 1639
Medium
etching, drypoint and burin
Dimensions
3588 × 4507 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
View original