Couple Greeting a Lady at the Door of a Country House, Gesina ter Borch, c. 1659

paper, h 213mm × w 327mm More details

Even such a cursory sketch as this one of a welldressed couple being greeted by a lady of the house demonstrates Gesina ter Borch’s talent for capturing subtle human interactions. For instance, the man’s posture and facial expression suggest a combination of formal greeting and informal delight. The final watercolour drawing in the Poëzie-album (PoetryAlbum), for which this work is a preliminary study, was extensively praised in a handwritten ode. Ter Borch cherished it and preserved it carefully in the album.