Head of Young Woman n.d.

Sir Peter Lely made this study, Head of a Young Woman, with pen and brown ink on paper. The drawing is about the hand and eye, first and foremost. See how the penstrokes are confident, almost casual, yet they build up to create the illusion of form. Lely was a celebrated portraitist, very much in demand, so a drawing like this may well have been a preliminary idea, a way of capturing a likeness before committing to a larger painting. The qualities of the materials are vital here. The ink flows easily from the pen, allowing for quick, fluid lines, but also bleeds slightly into the paper, creating subtle tonal variations. The paper itself, though humble, provides a receptive surface for the artist's hand. There's an intimacy to this work, a directness that speaks to the artist's skill and the immediacy of the medium. It's a reminder that even the simplest of materials can be used to create something beautiful and enduring.