Arkivism
A woman sewing, and a man watching her
Public domain

A woman sewing, and a man watching her

Esaias Boursse · 1662 · brush; paper; ink

From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.

About this work

On the left, a woman sits outside on the ground. She wears a Portuguese blouse with a V-neck and long sleeves (hatte) over a long wrap skirt (redda). On her lap lies an elongated cushion (or rolled-up cloth). She may be sewing. Her wavy hair is combed back and likely pinned up in a bun (condé). To the right in the foreground, a young man stands watching. He wears a knee-length Portuguese pleated skirt, a tattered shirt (kamisaya) with long sleeves full of tears and holes. Both figures are likely Eurasian; the man could be a toepas (Eurasian) from Jaffna. Sheet 92 from a sketchbook with 117 sheets.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own description
Credit lineA woman sewing, and a man watching her. 1662. Esaias Boursse. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.

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