I went to the Art Students League of New York last week for two days and sketched these two pieces. I have always liked going to the late afternoon sketch (long pose). Its only 90 minutes but its always a good pose, and the short time-frame forces you to put down just what is essential:
This is a charcoal drawing I own by the artist A.T. Van Laer (1857-1920). It has quite darkened with age but I love its mysterious and somber tones.
Here is a photograph of the artist. A native of New York, he studied during his formative years in Holland where he was heavily influenced by Dutch painting. Later in his life he lived and worked in Northwestern Connecticut: