Velázquez (Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez) (Spanish, Seville 1599–1660 Madrid), A Peasant Girl, ca. 1649–1650. Oil on canvas, 25 9/16 × 20 1/16 in. (65 × 51 cm). Private collection.

This informal study was possibly painted during the artist’s trip to Italy in 1649–50. It belonged to the collector Gaspar de Haro, who spent ten years in Italy from 1677 to 1687. Its boldly blocked-in forms, loose brushwork, and unfinished appearance—known in Spanish as a borrón (smudge)—were associated with workshop exercises and life studies, and with a taste for directness rather than finish. It may also be the case that the style was considered appropriate for the social status of the sitter.

This work is exhibited in the "Unfinished: Thoughts Left Invisible" exhibition, on view through September 4th, 2016. #MetBreuer