VLIET, Hendrick Cornelisz. van
(b. ca. 1611, Delft, d. 1675, Delft)

Sketchbook

1655-65
Black, white, and red chalk on blue paper, 275 x 220 mm
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam

This drawing is on one of the nineteen leaves of blue paper in a sketchbook of preparatory material. The leaves have drawings on both sides, a total of thirty-eight sketches in black and white chalk, with red chalk as well on four of the sketches. While the great majority of the images are portraits, there are also three sketches of church interiors, a drawing of a pulpit, and one of a grave board. Finally, four sides are devoted to studies of staffage, or figures, like those Van Vliet placed within church interiors in his paintings. Unfortunately, the sketchbook is not in its original binding, nor is the sequence of pages original.