David Bles - Small sketch sheet with drawings - Sold

Atmospheric and delicate 19th-century study sheet, attributed to the Hague artist David Joseph Bles (1821–1899). Various figure studies have been applied to the sheet in pencil. At the top is a remarkably carefully drawn male head, while below it several much looser and very subtle figure sketches are visible. It is precisely the unfinished character that gives the work the charm of an authentic studio sheet: it offers a direct glimpse into the draftsman's observation and exploration. David Joseph Bles was a painter, watercolorist, printmaker, and draftsman, and gained fame primarily for his portraits and genre scenes. That such sketch sheets formed an important part of his working practice is evident from the collection of the Rijksmuseum, among others. There, an album by Bles is housed containing 54 sheets with figure studies, interiors, furniture, and other sketches, executed in pencil, among other techniques. The Kunstmuseum Den Haag also owns pencil drawings by Bles. The work is not visibly signed. On the back of the old framing, however, there is an aged, handwritten label listing the name David Bles and the years of life 1821–1899. The sheet is mounted on a passe-partout and is housed in a simple, dark wood frame. See the detail photos for a good impression of the workmanship and condition. A charming and serene study sheet for the connoisseur of 19th-century Dutch drawing and the Hague art world.