Randwerk voor een portret 1708 - 1780

"Randwerk voor een portret" (1708-1780) is a red chalk drawing by Dutch artist Jacob Houbraken (1698-1780) that is currently located in the Rijksmuseum. The drawing depicts a figure leaning against a ledge with a large blank space above them. The empty space was likely intended as a frame for a portrait. The artist's skill in depicting drapery is evident in the folds of the fabric that frame the blank space, a common element in Baroque-era portraiture. Houbraken was a celebrated portraitist of his time, and this work is an example of his meticulous attention to detail and realistic rendering of figures and fabrics.