Sara Marrel, seated at a table and engaged in embroidery 1658
johannandreasgraff
stadelmuseum
drawing, red-chalk, ink, indian-ink, chalk
drawing
toned paper
light pencil work
baroque
red-chalk
pencil sketch
personal sketchbook
ink
german
coloured pencil
coffee painting
indian-ink
chalk
14_17th-century
portrait drawing
watercolour illustration
sketchbook art
watercolor
Johann Andreas Graff's "Sara Marrel, seated at a table and engaged in embroidery" (1658) depicts a young woman engrossed in her craft. The drawing's delicate lines and soft shading capture the intimate setting, with Sara hunched over her work, tools scattered across the table. The subject's focus on her embroidery speaks to the domestic pursuits of women in the 17th century, while the meticulous detail in the artist's hand highlights the value of craftsmanship and the artistry of everyday activities. This work, now housed at the Städel Museum, is a captivating example of Baroque portraiture and a testament to the significance of everyday life as a subject in art.
Comments
Johann Andreas Graff, who would later be Maria Sibylla Merian’s husband, was a journeyman in the workshop of Jacob Marrel, Merian’s stepfather, for several years. Here he drew the likeness of her somewhat older stepsister Sara Marrel at her evening embroidery. She appears to be working after a pattern: a sheet of paper spread out over her embroidery frame. Maria Sibylla would go on to publish floral compositions suited and intended for such purposes.
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