Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn (1606–1669), Four Musicians with Wind Instruments
, ca. 1638, Pen and brown ink, brown wash, some red and yellow-ochre chalk, Thaw Collection
, 2004.42
Rembrandt may have made this drawing after witnessing a pageant in 1638 that included Africans and troupes of actors. The subject corresponds to descriptions of African musicians made at the time of the event. This work is one of four drawings on the subject; all display the same complex combination of media—atypical of Rembrandt's drawing technique—with red and yellow chalks, subtle tonal shifts from brown to reddish brown, and an impressively bold line.