The Ball

watercolor by Abraham Bosse

Abraham Bosse (1604-1676) painted the The Ball in 1635. This detail-filled watercolor on parchment definitely shows his attention to detail when it comes to clothing. The ladies and gentlemen attending this ball almost seem secondary to their beautiful clothing. Grand tapestries and other works of art line the hall with a checkerboard-style of tile floor. In many ways, this piece seems a bit cartoonish with the color selections and the exaggerated features of some of the people – small feet and small heads on some of the party-goers while the small band of musicians seem to be more accurately proportioned.