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Saskia

Govaert Flinck

1638

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Portrait

Dominant colour

Saskia is a 1638 chalk by Govaert Flinck, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Govaert Flinck
When & what style?: 1638 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a woman’s face and shoulders in red chalk. Her hair is loose, framing her forehead, and her gaze is steady but calm. The lines are soft, with shadows under her eyes and along her jaw, giving her a gentle look. The artist used red chalk to keep it simple and sketchy. The paper has a textured background, almost like a light brown grid, which makes the red lines stand out. Next, look up Baroque to see how this style shaped art in the 1600s.