112290

VERSO

Figure Studies c. 1890-93

Farm workers in varying poses and attire, some with rakes or scythes

Pencil on a page from a sketchbook, both sides visible, 17.8 x 15.6 cm (7 x 6 ⅛ in.)

Private Collection

These figure studies are very similar to those from a sketchbook of about 1890 in the collection of the Hungarian National Gallery. This would suggest that the present drawings were made at a very early stage in de László’s career, when he was focused on genre painting. He spent three consecutive summers in O’Becse^[1], from 1889-1891, where he completed numerous pictures of rural life

These are not thought to be preparatory drawings for a particular picture, however they share subject matter with A Farm Labourer with a Scythe [111334] and A Peasant Couple Walking in a Landscape [9004]. The latter was painted

during a visit to Sárszög in the summer of 1893.

Recto is Figure Studies [10728].

PROVENANCE:

In the possession of the artist on his death

KF 2016