Seated Female Nude 1647 - 1678

Samuel van Hoogstraten created this drawing, Seated Female Nude, with pen and brown ink and wash. It invites us to contemplate its formal arrangement and tonal range. The monochromatic palette, dominated by browns, establishes a somber and studious mood, while the careful application of wash creates depth and volume in the figure and background. The artist uses line and shadow to define the form of the seated nude, emphasizing the interplay between light and the contours of the human body. Note how the figure's pose, and the lines of her extended arm disrupt the conventional representation of beauty, inviting a complex reading beyond mere aesthetic pleasure. The verticality of the staff contrasts with the curves of the model and adds a geometric element that stabilizes the composition. By employing a structuralist approach, we can consider how Hoogstraten's use of line, form, and tonal variation function as signs within a broader system of representation, challenging fixed notions of beauty and engaging with evolving notions of space and perception.