Studieblad met wandelende figuren 1675 - 1711

This ‘Studieblad met wandelende figuren’ was made by an anonymous artist, rendered in ink on paper. This is not a study of a single figure, but rather, an attempt to capture the movement and dynamism of a crowd. Let's consider the materiality of the artwork. Ink on paper is a relatively humble medium, yet here it becomes a vehicle for capturing the subtleties of human form. Each stroke of the pen is carefully placed to convey the fall of fabric, the angle of a hat, the set of a shoulder. The artist’s process becomes a form of observation, a kind of early ‘street photography’ rendered by hand. There’s a real connection between labor, class and the art. It reminds us that drawing itself is a kind of work. The artist is recording his impressions of people, who in turn are moving through their own lives, working, socializing, simply existing. Appreciating the making of an artwork like this gives us a richer insight into the world it represents.