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Lot Essay
Peter Schatborn has confirmed the attribution to Rembrandt on studying the drawing in the original. Mr Schatborn writes:
Rembrandt made three groups of figure drawings in black chalk, one early in his career, another in the mid-forties and a third which Benesch dates to the early fifties. The early drawings are generally broadly drawn, while those from the forties are finer and smaller and have more subtle contrasts. In the third small group of black chalk figure drawings, Rembrandt returns to his earlier broad and strongly contrasted style.
This seated man, resting his chin on his right arm, belongs to the last group. Characteristic of these drawings is the finely delineated first sketch which has been finished with stronger, rather angular lines. The light from the left has been carefully rendered and shadows from his right arm and from his head bending forward fall across his body. As is often the case, Rembrandt was not concerned with finishing the drawing of the legs and feet. It seems that the left leg is bending backwards under the body, with the foot lying on its side on the ground. The right foot has also been only summarily drawn. He also does not bother to define the seat very clearly, and only to the right is there a rather irregular indication of a support and a shaded area which indicates the seat, on the front of which the man is firmly seated.
The darker lines added to finish the drawing clarify the forms and improve plasticity. Typical in this respect is the hooked line on his left elbow, and the short accents drawn in places to accentuate the structure of the body. The face and the area around the hand which supports the chin has also been brought into focus by darker lines and shadows. The slightly bending line that defines his cheek is particularly noticeable. The characteristically strong line which separates the hat and forehead has an important function in the rendering of the position of the head and of the difference between the texture of the head and the hat and the shade on the face. Although the face is in shadow, the drawing of the eyes and the arrangement of the pose make perfectly clear that he is engrossed in what he is looking at.
The resemblance between the present drawing and two drawings of seated men dated by Benesch to the early fifties (nos. 1074-1075) indicates a similar date for this drawing. A drawing sold at Christie's, London, 8 July 2003, no. 100, belongs to the same group.
We are very grateful to Mr Schatborn for preparing this note.
Rembrandt made three groups of figure drawings in black chalk, one early in his career, another in the mid-forties and a third which Benesch dates to the early fifties. The early drawings are generally broadly drawn, while those from the forties are finer and smaller and have more subtle contrasts. In the third small group of black chalk figure drawings, Rembrandt returns to his earlier broad and strongly contrasted style.
This seated man, resting his chin on his right arm, belongs to the last group. Characteristic of these drawings is the finely delineated first sketch which has been finished with stronger, rather angular lines. The light from the left has been carefully rendered and shadows from his right arm and from his head bending forward fall across his body. As is often the case, Rembrandt was not concerned with finishing the drawing of the legs and feet. It seems that the left leg is bending backwards under the body, with the foot lying on its side on the ground. The right foot has also been only summarily drawn. He also does not bother to define the seat very clearly, and only to the right is there a rather irregular indication of a support and a shaded area which indicates the seat, on the front of which the man is firmly seated.
The darker lines added to finish the drawing clarify the forms and improve plasticity. Typical in this respect is the hooked line on his left elbow, and the short accents drawn in places to accentuate the structure of the body. The face and the area around the hand which supports the chin has also been brought into focus by darker lines and shadows. The slightly bending line that defines his cheek is particularly noticeable. The characteristically strong line which separates the hat and forehead has an important function in the rendering of the position of the head and of the difference between the texture of the head and the hat and the shade on the face. Although the face is in shadow, the drawing of the eyes and the arrangement of the pose make perfectly clear that he is engrossed in what he is looking at.
The resemblance between the present drawing and two drawings of seated men dated by Benesch to the early fifties (nos. 1074-1075) indicates a similar date for this drawing. A drawing sold at Christie's, London, 8 July 2003, no. 100, belongs to the same group.
We are very grateful to Mr Schatborn for preparing this note.