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A Soldier Standing, Seen from Behind

Leendert van der Cooghen

1655

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Renaissance

Dominant colour

A Soldier Standing, Seen from Behind is a 1655 by Leendert van der Cooghen, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Leendert van der Cooghen
When & what style?: 1655
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a bare-chested soldier standing with his back to us. One arm is raised, holding what looks like a helmet. His other arm rests at his side, gripping a spear or staff. Behind him, a fence and some distant buildings are drawn in faint lines. The artist focused on the soldier’s strong posture and muscles, using quick, confident strokes. The background is sketchy, almost like notes jotted down fast. If you like this style, check out chiaroscuro—it’s a technique for shading that creates deep contrast.

About the artist

Artist

Leendert van der Cooghen

Leendert van der Cooghen was a Dutch painter, draughtsman and printmaker. An amateur artist of independent means, he left a small oeuvre of which his drawings represent the major portion. Recognised by his fellow…

See the richer artist page