Drawing the Figure in Rembrandt's Time

Endeavours to illuminate the role of figure drawings in the age of Rembrandt based on the exceptional Frits Lugt Collection

Although best known for landscape, the seventeenth-century Dutch school excelled in depicting the human figure through portraits, genre scenes, biblical subjects, and studies from life. Based on the Frits Lugt Collection, this catalogue explores the role of figure drawings across the century, from Goltzius and Bloemaert to van der Werff, including artists such as Buytewech, the van Ostade brothers, the Ter Borch family, Jan de Braij, and van de Velde. Rembrandt and his school are especially prominent, with rare drawings of models, everyday life, and unusual biblical and literary episodes, establishing the practice of female nude studies influential beyond the Netherlands.

The catalogue presents both celebrated and little-known works from the collection. Formed by Frits Lugt (1884–1970), a leading connoisseur, the collection has been managed by the Fondation Custodia since 1947 and continues to grow, with newly acquired sheets included here. The book accompanies the exhibition at the Fondation Custodia, Paris, from 21 March to 21 June 2026.