Figure Studies Gesina ter Borch (1631-1690)

pen and brown ink, watercolour, 1648, in: Materi-boeck, c. 1646-1650, fol. 10

Gesina ter Borch began working on this Materi-boeck, a collection of short texts and aphorisms in calligraphy, around the age of fourteen. She gradually developed a taste for drawing and made these figure studies, which are among her earliest drawings, at the age of sixteen, in April 1648. The small figures already display Ter Borch’s eye for anecdotal detail. They perform household chores, engage in conversation or court each other.

  • Artwork typealbum
  • Object numberBI-1890-1950
  • Dimensionsheight 155 mm x width 211 mm x thickness 5 mm