Drie putti met een hond 1610 - 1641

Anthony van Dyck made this drawing of three putti with a dog with pen and brown ink in the 17th century. The delicate lines and shading, achieved with a quill and diluted ink, give a sense of movement and lightness to the figures. It’s easy to see the artist experimenting here. You can see how van Dyck used the quick, fluid strokes of the pen to capture the softness of the putti's bodies and the texture of the dog's fur. Drawings like this were not only preparatory studies, but also valuable commodities in the art market. The artist's skill in manipulating ink on paper was highly prized, and drawings were collected as examples of artistic virtuosity. The tools are simple, but the skill required is immense, and Van Dyck seems to be flexing his muscles. Looking at this drawing, we can appreciate the artist's mastery of his materials, and how his labor and skill have shaped the image we see before us. It blurs the line between a sketch and a finished artwork.