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Lot Essay
De Gheyn’s numerous drawings of men and women in their daily pursuits show the artist’s great interest in observing and depicting daily life. A total of 119 of these ‘figure studies’ can be found in van Regteren Altena’s catalogue of de Gheyn's drawings, forming a significant part of his drawn oeuvre (op. cit., nos. 532-650). These intimate drawings, often showing family scenes, show the artist's ability to raise even the simplest activities to a monumental level. The present drawing is a fine example of such a genre scene. The figures are drawn with vigorous, energetic strokes giving the drawing a great sense of vitality. The irregular shape of the sheet indicates that is was once part of a larger sheet with additional studies.
The intimate genre drawings by de Gheyn had a great influence on the next generation of draughtsmen in the Netherlands, and is especially evident in the drawings of Rembrandt (1606-1669) and his school (see J.R. Judson, in Jacques de Gheyn II als tekenaar 1565-1629, exhib. cat., Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and Washington DC, National Gallery of Art, 1985-86, pp. 22-3). Drawings like this one prompted the basis for the next generation of Dutch artists to develop the realistic art for which they are celebrated.
The intimate genre drawings by de Gheyn had a great influence on the next generation of draughtsmen in the Netherlands, and is especially evident in the drawings of Rembrandt (1606-1669) and his school (see J.R. Judson, in Jacques de Gheyn II als tekenaar 1565-1629, exhib. cat., Rotterdam, Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen and Washington DC, National Gallery of Art, 1985-86, pp. 22-3). Drawings like this one prompted the basis for the next generation of Dutch artists to develop the realistic art for which they are celebrated.