Studies 1849 - 1917

Matthijs Maris created these Studies with a pencil on paper. Maris was working in a time of rapid social change and growing industrialization, and his art often reflects a sense of introspection and a retreat from the modern world. Here, Maris uses the medium of sketching to capture figures in various poses, revealing his academic training and commitment to understanding the human form through careful observation. The unfinished nature of the studies provides a glimpse into the artist's working process and the intimate space of the studio. It is difficult to determine the gender and the race of the sketched figures due to the medium being only sketches and not a finished work. The use of a grid-lined paper adds a layer of structure to the composition, grounding the ethereal quality of Maris's draftsmanship. The grid hints at an underlying system or framework guiding the artist's hand as he explores themes of identity and the subjective experience of being.