Stadsgezicht en een landschap met figuren 1696

Hendrick van Beaumont created this sheet with two landscape sketches using a sanguine red chalk, a material that has a rich history in preparatory drawings. The earthy, warm tone of the chalk lends itself well to the bucolic scenes, with the upper sketch depicting a ruined bridge and the lower capturing figures on a path through a wooded area. Notice how the chalk's texture varies with pressure, creating depth and shadow, and how the drawing has a loose, informal quality. Traditionally, red chalk was favored for its ability to mimic the colors of the human body, making it a staple for life studies. Here, however, Beaumont uses it to explore landscape, which suggests an interest in the natural world as a subject worthy of artistic attention. It's worth considering how the choice of material shapes our perception and the way it challenges traditional categories of art, underscoring the significance of drawing as a practice in its own right.