Groep kerkgangers bij het verlaten van de kerk c. 1654

Gesina ter Borch made this watercolor and pen drawing, titled "Group of Churchgoers Leaving the Church," probably in the 1660s in the Netherlands. She worked on paper, applying delicate washes of pigment with a fine brush. Ter Borch likely ground her own pigments, combining powdered minerals and plant extracts with a binding medium. This intimate knowledge of materials allowed her precise control over the hues. Notice how she built up thin layers of color to create subtle variations in tone, giving depth to the figures’ clothing. The choice of watercolor, a portable and relatively inexpensive medium, suggests the artist was working in a domestic setting, perhaps even as a form of personal devotion. Consider the labor involved in producing such a detailed image – from preparing the paper and pigments to the painstaking application of each brushstroke, this drawing is a testament to the artist’s skill and patience. Recognizing the time and care invested in its making allows us to move beyond simply admiring the image, and to appreciate its full cultural value.