Standing Man and Woman, Seen from the Front
ca. 1620
Medium
point of brush and brown ink, pen and grey ink, with grey and some red wash, over traces of black chalk or graphite; framing line in dark brown ink
Dimensions
152; 119
About this artwork
height 152 mm x width 119 mm
Art Historical Context
Created around 1620 during the Golden Age, this intimate drawing by Hendrick Avercamp captures two figures standing side by side in a straightforward, frontal pose. Avercamp, celebrated for his lively winter landscapes filled with skaters and townsfolk, often prepared such studies to populate his scenes with naturalistic characters. The compact scale—just 152 by 119 millimeters—suggests it was a working sketch, likely intended to record everyday Dutch clothing and posture for later use in larger compositions. The artist employed a delicate combination of brush, pen, and layered washes to achi...
About the Artist
Hendrick Avercamp · 1585–1634
Dutch painter, best-known for winter landscapes and marine paintings. His lively paintings and drawings were enormously popular. Avercamp was hearing-impaired.