Plate 18: Girl Carrying Water - Jan de Bisschop

A classical figure study by Jan de Bisschop, this etching captures a woman carrying water vessels, based on an original design by Raphael.

This etching by Jan de Bisschop, a prominent Dutch lawyer and amateur artist, belongs to his collection of prints reproducing classical sculptures and Renaissance works. The composition derives from the work of Raphael, as indicated by the inscription 'Raf. Urb. invx.' at the base, which attributes the original design to Raphael of Urbino. The figure is depicted in a contrapposto stance, balancing a large vessel upon her head while holding a second container in her left hand. Her drapery is rendered with fluid, sweeping lines that suggest movement and weight, characteristic of the classical tradition that de Bisschop sought to document and disseminate among his contemporaries.

De Bisschop was instrumental in the publication of 'Paradigmata Graphices' and 'Signorum Veterum Icones', volumes that provided artists with access to the forms of antiquity. His technique involves a delicate use of hatching and cross-hatching to model the form of the figure and the folds of the fabric. The background remains largely unadorned, allowing the viewer to focus on the anatomical precision and the rhythmic quality of the drapery. The print reflects the seventeenth-century interest in the study of classical models as a foundation for artistic training. By translating these sculptural forms into the medium of etching, de Bisschop created a resource that bridged the gap between the art of the Italian Renaissance and the Northern European tradition. The work serves as a record of the aesthetic values held by collectors and artists during the Dutch Golden Age, who looked to the classical past for inspiration and technical guidance.