The Girl Squatted Down 1618

Peter Paul Rubens created "The Girl Squatted Down" using chalk in the 17th century. During this period, the depiction of women in art was often dictated by the male gaze, but here Rubens presents an informal scene, one that feels intimate. Rubens's sketch deviates from the conventional representations of women who were often portrayed in either idealized or allegorical forms. The subject is a woman in a moment of private repose; this is not a grand mythological scene, rather an everyday woman. Her head is turned away from the viewer and we see her from the back, squatting down. There is a sense of her being unobserved. This naturalistic rendering of the female form offers a counterpoint to the more theatrical paintings for which Rubens is known. With its emphasis on the ordinary, "The Girl Squatted Down" embodies a candid exploration of humanity, as seen through the life of this anonymous woman.