inscribed and dated ‘Zonder Wet of Spreuk./ 18 November 1816’
red chalk, point of the brush and grey ink
20.5 x 32.2 cm

In order to meet the need of artists to draw after models, a growing number of
‘tekengenootschappen’ (drawing societies) were founded in the 18th and 19th centuries.
These societies enabled artists to draw after (often draped) life models in group sessions,
which resulted in drawn figure studies which could later be used in the artist’s paintings.
One such society was Zonder Wet of Spreuk in Amsterdam which was founded in circa
1807 and existed until 1822. [1] Amongst its members were Albertus Brondgeest (1786-
1849), Jan Hulswit (1766-1822), Pieter Gerardus van Os (1776-1839) and Abraham
Johannes Ruytenschildt. Virtually nothing was known about the society until Robert-Jan te
Rijdt published his article shedding light on it. Based on a document from Ruytenschildt’s
estate containing a list of names and expenses [2] —linked by Te Rijdt to another document
from the estate of Pieter Ernst Hendrik Praetorius—he was able to identify the society,
locate it, and determine its members. [3]
Many figure drawings executed during drawing sessions at the society by its members
have survived and a number of these carry inscriptions that explicitly state that the drawing
was made during one of the societies’ drawing sessions. [4] The majority of drawings made
during one of these life drawing sessions, however, do not carry such an inscription but
some of them can be related to the society nonetheless.

The present drawing is a characteristic example of Ruytenschildt’s draughtsmanship and
it can be closely compared stylistically to drawings by other members of the society. In
fact, the same boy was drawn — no doubt during the same drawing session — by Albertus
Brondgeest, whose drawing is dated 1816. [5] With the recent emergence of the present
drawing, we now have exact date of execution, as it is inscribed ’18 November 1816’ on its
verso. The same boy appears again in a painting by Pieter Ernst Hendrik Praetorius which
was executed ten years later, in 1826, demonstrating the society’s practice of using drawn
models in their paintings and prints. [6]

[1] L.A. Schwartz, 'The Dutch Drawings in The Teyler Museum. Artists born between 1740 and 1800',
Haarlem, Ghent and Doornspijk, 2004, p. 29.
[2] The document is in the Rijksmuseum; inv. RP-D-1990-37.
[3] R.J. te Rijdt, ‘Figuurstudies van het Amsterdamse particuliere tekengenootschap ‘Zonder Wet of
Spreuk’ (ca. 1808-1819)’, 'Bulletin van het Rijksmuseum', XXXVIII, 1990, p. 224.
[4] R.J. te Rijdt, 'op. cit'., p. 225, fig. 1.
[5] Te Rijdt, 'ibid.', p. 237, fig. 28.
[6] ibid., p. 237, fig. 27; sold at Bubb Kuyper, Haarlem, 17 May 2024, lot 5916.