4 portraits of peasants.

4 drawings, pen and brown ink (bister), 10 x 8,4 cm and 6,5 x 5,4 cm, laid paper, signed and dated in brown ink at lower margin "A. Overlaet Calamo" (some min. foxing).

This draughtsman and engraver from Antwerp was a virtuoso in the copying of prints and his drawings are found worldwide in public and private collections. He combined his artistry with the profession of a baker. He became a master engraver in 1761 at the Guild of St Luke but only a handful of his works are known. Overlaet (Antwerp 1720-1774) scrupulously copied numerous drawings after the Flemish and Dutch masters such as Rubens, Teniers and Rembrandt, creating the illusion that they were engravings. They were never intended as forgeries but rather highly appreciated for their skilfull execution as conversation pieces. Two of these portraits (large size) were made after the models in the drawing book "Diversae facies in usum iuvenvm et aliorum delineatae" (Brussels 1656), by Michiel Sweerts. Two others (smaller size) were made after engravings of David Teniers the Younger.
Ref. S. Turner, "Fait à la plume: Antoine Overlaet (1720-1774) and his copies of Rembrandt, Rubens and Teniers", in: Delineavit et Sculpsit 46 (2020), pp. 70-89.