A wild-haired, robed woman rushing to the right, seen from behind

Cornelis Saftleven

1631 · Black chalk, with touches of oiled black chalk · Drawings and Prints

A woman in a long, loose robe and cloth cap energetically leans forward. Her wiry hair and the strings of her cap fly in the air along with movement. The woman may have been intended to represent a witch. Saftleven is known for his scenes of sorcerers and drawings of hellish creatures. A prolific draftsman and painter, created numerous independent single figure studies in black chalk. Many of them depict figures from behind or with their face somehow covered like the Met's "Boy Sleeping Outdoors" (2008.152).

Artist

Cornelis Saftleven

Date

1631

Medium

Black chalk, with touches of oiled black chalk

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Kenneth Grebinar, in celebration of the Museum's 150th Anniversary, 2019