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拍品專文
Peter Schatborn has confirmed the attribution to Rembrandt on studying the drawing. Mr Schatborn writes:
'This unpublished drawing of A seated man with long hair, his hands folded, is one of a group of small sketches in black chalk, representing single figures and small groups of men, women and children, Jews, Poles, elderly people, beggars, vagabonds, and other groups. On the verso of one of the drawings, A beggar family, is a portrait of Jan Six (O. Benesch, The Drawings of Rembrandt, London, 1973, IV, no. 749, verso), which was made as a study for the etching of 1647 (B. 285). This is one of the guides for dating the group, while another study, Group of four men in discussion (Benesch, op. cit., no. 714) , has been connected with two etchings from 1652 and 1654 respectively, both representing Christ among the doctors (B. 65 and B. 64). A precise dating for most of the drawings is not possible. Together with a group of landscape drawings in black chalk they all must have been executed in the forties or early fifties.
The different stages through which the drawing has come into being are clearly noticeable in the finished work, a characteristic of Rembrandt's working practice. Firstly, the figure has been lightly sketched, with some improvements directly introduced, for example the repeated contour of the arm on the left, and the inner contour of the leg on the left. Sometimes the improving line has been drawn more strongly, as for example the contour on the upper leg on the right, in this way making it the most effective, final, version. Interesting in this respect is the way the elbow on the right has been represented by three or four lines, none of which are precisely descriptive, but which together suggest the elbow very effectively. The single continuous line indicating the eyebrows is a reminder of the method of learning to draw faces, one which was used more than once by Rembrandt.
As one would expect from a drawing by Rembrandt, light and dark have been very precisely represented, so as to denote the utmost plasticity of the figure. Light falling from the left creates shadows to the right by means of finely hatched lines. Shadow is also indicated at the right side of the knee on the left and very suggestively under the mantle, under the figure's hands and under the long hair on his shoulders. Furthermore, the lefthand part of his head catches more light than the other side. Even the man's foot on the left creates a small pool of shadow, ensuring that the foot does not float in the air. Surrounded by shadows, the mantle across the leg on the right has deliberately been left empty for contrast, so as to indicate the fall of light.
The non-descriptive lines which improve form as a whole, together with the precise representation of light, are extremely characteristic of Rembrandt. Notable in this regard is the small dark vertical line across the lower arm on the left, which makes the arm less voluminous, and the straight lines that run towards the man's lap, which improve the vague forms underneath and connect the two legs in a more convincing way. Similar dark lines to the right of the head, as well as under the arm on the right, accentuate the shadow.
Also characteristic of Rembrandt are the rather solid, somewhat angular forms by which the figure has been represented, notwithstanding the sketchiness in places. Most of the black chalk drawings are sketchier and are drawn with finer, livelier lines and with less strong accents. The resemblance of this angular handling with studies from the early fifties may indicate a similar date for this drawing. The drawing of Group of four men in discussion, mentioned above, dated in the early fifties, shares a similar angularity of line, as does the figure, comparable in its plasticity of form, on the verso of Isaac blessing Jacob (Benesch, op. cit., no. 891, a pen drawing typical for the period). Finally, three drawings of seated men (Benesch, op. cit., nos. 1074-1076), also dated in the early fifties and which lack the livlier lines of the sketches from the forties, can be compared. Benesch describes the last of these as 'typical for the simplicity and monumentality with which Rembrandt, in his late period, treated such subjects.' This may as well apply to the newly discovered drawing.
I would like to thank William W. Robinson for discussing the attribution of the new drawing with me. Dr Robinson has published the group of similar studies in 'Five black chalk figure studies', Master Drawings, 36, 1 (1998), pp. 36-44, and in 'A black chalk drawing by Rembrandt', Festschrift für Konrad Oberhuber, Milan, 2000, pp. 303-306.'
We are very grateful to Mr Schatborn for preparing this note.
'This unpublished drawing of A seated man with long hair, his hands folded, is one of a group of small sketches in black chalk, representing single figures and small groups of men, women and children, Jews, Poles, elderly people, beggars, vagabonds, and other groups. On the verso of one of the drawings, A beggar family, is a portrait of Jan Six (O. Benesch, The Drawings of Rembrandt, London, 1973, IV, no. 749, verso), which was made as a study for the etching of 1647 (B. 285). This is one of the guides for dating the group, while another study, Group of four men in discussion (Benesch, op. cit., no. 714) , has been connected with two etchings from 1652 and 1654 respectively, both representing Christ among the doctors (B. 65 and B. 64). A precise dating for most of the drawings is not possible. Together with a group of landscape drawings in black chalk they all must have been executed in the forties or early fifties.
The different stages through which the drawing has come into being are clearly noticeable in the finished work, a characteristic of Rembrandt's working practice. Firstly, the figure has been lightly sketched, with some improvements directly introduced, for example the repeated contour of the arm on the left, and the inner contour of the leg on the left. Sometimes the improving line has been drawn more strongly, as for example the contour on the upper leg on the right, in this way making it the most effective, final, version. Interesting in this respect is the way the elbow on the right has been represented by three or four lines, none of which are precisely descriptive, but which together suggest the elbow very effectively. The single continuous line indicating the eyebrows is a reminder of the method of learning to draw faces, one which was used more than once by Rembrandt.
As one would expect from a drawing by Rembrandt, light and dark have been very precisely represented, so as to denote the utmost plasticity of the figure. Light falling from the left creates shadows to the right by means of finely hatched lines. Shadow is also indicated at the right side of the knee on the left and very suggestively under the mantle, under the figure's hands and under the long hair on his shoulders. Furthermore, the lefthand part of his head catches more light than the other side. Even the man's foot on the left creates a small pool of shadow, ensuring that the foot does not float in the air. Surrounded by shadows, the mantle across the leg on the right has deliberately been left empty for contrast, so as to indicate the fall of light.
The non-descriptive lines which improve form as a whole, together with the precise representation of light, are extremely characteristic of Rembrandt. Notable in this regard is the small dark vertical line across the lower arm on the left, which makes the arm less voluminous, and the straight lines that run towards the man's lap, which improve the vague forms underneath and connect the two legs in a more convincing way. Similar dark lines to the right of the head, as well as under the arm on the right, accentuate the shadow.
Also characteristic of Rembrandt are the rather solid, somewhat angular forms by which the figure has been represented, notwithstanding the sketchiness in places. Most of the black chalk drawings are sketchier and are drawn with finer, livelier lines and with less strong accents. The resemblance of this angular handling with studies from the early fifties may indicate a similar date for this drawing. The drawing of Group of four men in discussion, mentioned above, dated in the early fifties, shares a similar angularity of line, as does the figure, comparable in its plasticity of form, on the verso of Isaac blessing Jacob (Benesch, op. cit., no. 891, a pen drawing typical for the period). Finally, three drawings of seated men (Benesch, op. cit., nos. 1074-1076), also dated in the early fifties and which lack the livlier lines of the sketches from the forties, can be compared. Benesch describes the last of these as 'typical for the simplicity and monumentality with which Rembrandt, in his late period, treated such subjects.' This may as well apply to the newly discovered drawing.
I would like to thank William W. Robinson for discussing the attribution of the new drawing with me. Dr Robinson has published the group of similar studies in 'Five black chalk figure studies', Master Drawings, 36, 1 (1998), pp. 36-44, and in 'A black chalk drawing by Rembrandt', Festschrift für Konrad Oberhuber, Milan, 2000, pp. 303-306.'
We are very grateful to Mr Schatborn for preparing this note.