Title Print and Twelve Figure Studies, Michael Sweerts, 1656
etching, h 90mm × w 80mm More details
Thirteen lifelike faces from 1656 look back, or away from us. The figures differ in gender, age, clothing style, and facial expression. In Brussels, Michael Sweerts gave drawing lessons to artists in training. This series may have been part of his teaching material; students would use them to draw from models. While not portraits, the types were certainly meant to be recognizable, for instance as random passers-by in a typical 1656 street scene.
