Various figures
1842
Imagine sitting in a bustling 19th-century square with a sketchbook, frantically trying to capture everyone passing by. That’s the vibe of this 1842 sheet by Dutch artist David Bles, which serves as a fascinating visual census of society. You’ve got dapper gentlemen in top hats, weary soldiers, and crowded market scenes all jostling for space on the page. During the Romantic period, artists used sheets like this as a 'character library,' practicing expressions and poses to build a repertoire of human types before committing to a final, polished masterpiece.