St. Peter Recognized by a Servant Girl 1611 - 1674

Leonaert Bramer made this drawing, St. Peter Recognized by a Servant Girl, in the 17th century using pen and brush with grey wash, heightened with white, on blue paper. Notice how Bramer uses the grey wash to create dramatic lighting effects, heightening the emotional intensity of the scene. The blue paper acts as a middle ground, allowing the white highlights to pop, and the grey wash to recede into shadow. The somewhat rough, informal quality of the drawing, suggests that it was likely a preparatory sketch for a larger painting, or perhaps a finished work intended for a collector's album. Drawings like this offered artists an opportunity to explore ideas and compositions in a quick and efficient manner. In the 17th century, the art market was developing rapidly, and drawings like this were bought and sold in great quantity, often changing hands many times over. Ultimately, Bramer’s drawing shows us how an artwork's meaning emerges not just from its subject matter, but also from the materials and processes used to bring it into being.