Sketches of Nymph, Satyr and Putto
n.d.
Medium
Pen and brown ink, on ivory laid paper laid down on card
Dimensions
15.1 × 29.3 cm (6 × 11 9/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
83973
Art Historical Context
John Vanderbank’s *Sketches of Nymph, Satyr and Putto* offers a lively glimpse into the artist’s working process. Rendered in fluid pen and brown ink on ivory laid paper, the small sheet captures three figures from classical mythology in quick, expressive strokes. graceful nymph, a playful satyr, and a cherubic putto appear in loose groupings, their forms suggesting movement and interaction rather than finished detail. The horizontal format, just over eleven inches wide, feels intimate, as though Vanderbank were testing ideas for a larger decorative scheme. Such drawings highlight the importa...