This beautiful book presents highlights from the collection of Maida and George Abrams, arguably the finest private collection of Dutch seventeenth-century drawings in the world. The works range from studies by renowned masters–including Pieter Bruegel the Elder, Rembrandt van Rijn, Jacob van Ruisdael, Jacques de Gheyn II, Hendrick Goltzius, and Hendrick Avercamp–to drawings by lesser-known draftsmen whose contributions are essential to understanding the art of the period.
The book features seven drawings by Rembrandt, a diverse group by his pupils, a comprehensive survey of Dutch landscape drawing, and figure studies and scenes of daily life by genre artists such as Willem Buytewech and Adriaen van Ostade. The works are explicated in William Robinson’s detailed catalogue entries and in two essays: George Abrams reflects on recent acquisitions for his collection; and Martin Royalton-Kisch examines the Abrams’ holdings within the tradition of specialized collections of Dutch drawings in England, France, and America.