Portret van Philips de Flines 1670 - 1675

Gerard de Lairesse made this portrait using pen and brown ink, with brown wash. The choice of materials is interesting. Wash drawings like this were often preparatory, not intended as finished works in themselves. The quick strokes of the pen, and the layering of the wash, allowed Lairesse to rapidly capture the likeness of Philips de Flines, and explore the composition of the final painting. But the drawing also has an inherent aesthetic quality. The ink bleeds slightly into the paper, creating soft edges and a sense of atmosphere. The wash adds depth and volume, while the spare lines suggest details without fully defining them. The method and materials have imbued this study with a sense of immediacy. It offers us a glimpse into the artist's working process. The way de Lairesse used the pen and ink is a skilled tradition in itself, and the way he has captured the texture of the sitter’s clothes and the shadows on his face, shows his mastery. In appreciating this work we can see how a drawing, though seemingly simple, can be rich in artistic and cultural meaning.