Armstudie zum Pagen der _Gefangennahme Egmonts_ 

Julius Hamel created this preparatory drawing, "Armstudie zum Pagen der Gefangennahme Egmonts," with graphite. Notice the almost symmetrical composition of the arms. Hamel intricately maps the fall of light and shadow across the fabric, carefully modeling the folds and creases. The ruffled sleeves add a layer of decorative complexity. The unfinished quality of the torso allows us to see the artist's process: from initial, tentative lines to more confident, shaded areas. There is a clear contrast between the meticulously rendered sleeves and the more gestural treatment of the hands. The hand on the right firmly clasps a tassel while the hand on the left mirrors this grip, creating a mirrored structure. Consider the study of light and texture, and how these contribute to the overall sense of dynamism and tension in the image. Through Hamel’s formal rendering, the study goes beyond the purely representational.