A wild-haired, robed woman rushing to the right, seen from behind
Medium
Black chalk, with touches of oiled black chalk
Dimensions
Sheet: 11 1/16 × 7 3/16 in. (28.1 × 18.2 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Kenneth Grebinar, in celebration of the Museum's 150th Anniversary, 2019
Accession Number
2019.276.9
Art Historical Context
In the bustling world of Dutch Golden Age, Cornelis Saftleven's 1631 drawingA wild-haired, ro woman rushing to the right seen from behind* captures fleeting moment of motion and energy. Created with black chalk heightened by touches of oiled chalk on a modest 11 1/16 × 7 3/16 in. sheet, this intimate study exemplifies Saftleven's mastery of monochrome techniques. The oiled chalk adds a sheen and fluidity, allowing for bold strokes that convey the woman's disheveled hair and flowing robes as she hurries away, viewed dynamically from behind. Saftleven, a Utrecht-born artist active during the pr...
About the Artist
Cornelis Saftleven
Cornelis Saftleven (c. 1607–1681) was born in Gorinchem into a family of artists, with his father Herman Saftleven and brothers Abraham and Herman Saftleven the Younger also painters. He likely learned his craft from his father in Rotterdam, where the family was active, and later collaborated closely with his brother Herman in Utrecht around 1634, developing innovative stable interiors as a new mo...