Bediende met een mand bloemen 1769

Jean-Baptist Leprince made this drawing of a servant girl with a basket of flowers, using brown wash, likely around 1769. Notice how the composition is built upon the contrast between light and dark. The figure emerges from a dark background, defined not by precise outlines but by gradations of tone. Leprince's washes create a sense of depth and volume. The servant’s dress is rendered with fluid strokes, suggesting the fall of fabric and the play of light, juxtaposed with areas of shadow. This treatment elevates the everyday to the realm of pictorial interest. Leprince was instrumental in popularizing the use of wash and chalk manner during the 18th century. His method, which he adopted from earlier Italian artists, helped to convey light, shadow, and form with a distinctive painterly quality. The use of brown wash is not merely a technical choice, it is integral to the drawing's mood and expressive power. It invites us to see the aesthetic possibilities in what might otherwise be an unregarded moment.