Young Woman Seated by a Window (Saskia?) c. 1638

This drawing was made by Rembrandt van Rijn, using pen and brown ink on paper. It depicts a woman, possibly his wife Saskia, seated by a window. What strikes me is the directness with which Rembrandt approaches his materials. The brown ink, fluid and translucent, is applied with a practiced hand. The strokes vary in weight and intensity, creating a sense of volume and light. Look closely and you'll see the subtle hatching and cross-hatching, building up the shadows and defining the folds of her clothing. This wasn't just casual practice. Paper in the 17th century was an expensive material. The type of paper and ink, the artist’s skills, and the labor involved in producing these materials, all contributed to the artwork's social and cultural significance. Rembrandt’s expressive lines capture the essence of his subject with remarkable efficiency, showing his mastery of the medium. By attending to these details of process and material, we gain a richer understanding of the artist's skill and the cultural context in which the drawing was made.