Artwork
Young Woman with a Bowl, Seated Outdoors
Young Woman with a Bowl, Seated Outdoors is a graphite drawing by the Baroque artist Johann Justin Preissler. It dates from 1733 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Johann Justin Preissler’s drawing, dated 1733, depicts a young woman seated outdoors while holding a shallow bowl. Executed on blue wove paper, the composition balances a modest figure against a lightly sketched background of foliage and a fence, creating a quiet, domestic scene characteristic of early‑18th‑century drawing practices.
Subject & Meaning
The sitter, dressed in a predominantly white gown accented by a vertical red stripe on the front and sleeves, rests on a similarly patterned cloth. The bowl she cradles suggests a moment of pause, perhaps related to a domestic chore or a simple act of refreshment, emphasizing everyday life rather than allegorical narrative.
Technique & Style
Preissler employed a restrained palette of black, red, and white chalks over a graphite underdrawing. The limited colors define form through subtle shading, while the red accents highlight clothing and textile details. The background is rendered in faint, gestural lines, allowing the figure to emerge with clarity against an atmospheric suggestion of landscape.
History & Provenance
Created in 1733, the work belongs to Preissler’s early output when he was active in Nuremberg’s artistic circles. The drawing has remained in private collections before entering a museum inventory, where it is catalogued as a representative example of his draftsmanship and the broader German Baroque drawing tradition.
Context
The piece reflects the Baroque era’s interest in rendering realistic figures and textures within informal settings. Though modest in scale, the drawing illustrates the period’s emphasis on chiaroscuro and the study of everyday subjects, aligning with contemporary practices of drawing from life for both pedagogical and decorative purposes.
Artist & collection
