Vrouw en twee kinderen bij een lessenaar c. 1858

This preliminary sketch, "Vrouw en twee kinderen bij een lessenaar" (Woman and two children at a desk) was created by the Dutch artist Bastiaan de Poorter in 1858. The drawing, executed in graphite on paper, shows a woman and two children seated at a desk, perhaps engaged in reading or writing. The composition is loose and gestural, with the figures depicted in a fleeting and dynamic pose. The work is indicative of de Poorter's skill in capturing the essence of a moment through his deft use of line and shading. The sketch is currently housed in the Rijksmuseum.