Zittende vrouw in loszinnige pose 1637 - 1678

Willem Schellinks made this drawing of a seated woman in a risque pose with red chalk on paper in the 17th century. It’s important to remember that even the simplest drawing is an act of skilled labor. Chalk doesn't just apply itself to paper. Schellinks used this medium to create this drawing with the build-up of layered marks. Look closely, and you can see a matrix of activity, the artist's hand moving back and forth. The model's pose, combined with the artist's technique, creates a sense of intimacy. It speaks of a specific social dynamic: the artist, the sitter, and the cultural conventions that put them together in that room, at that time. This work stands in contrast to the high polish that was then often associated with fine art. Schellinks embraced the immediacy of a simple medium. By doing so, he invites us to consider the social context of artmaking, and the labor involved in even the most seemingly effortless drawing.