Jas liggend op een dubbele leunstoel 1722 - 1799

Jan Anton Garemyn made this red chalk drawing of drapery arranged on a chair sometime in the 18th century. The subject of drapery was a common one in academic artistic training of that era. Garemyn was from Bruges, now in Belgium, where he served as a city official as well as an artist. The academies and guilds of the 18th century often reinforced conservative social hierarchies and upheld traditional artistic values. Students would copy established masterpieces and make studies of antiquities or, like this one, drapery. The goal was to instill an appreciation for idealized form as well as technical skill in rendering realistic details. Historical research shows that Garemyn also served as director of the Bruges Academy. So this drawing may have been made in connection with his teaching duties. It offers us insights into the way art was taught and understood in 18th century Europe, highlighting the social and institutional contexts that shaped artistic production at the time.