Jacob Jordaens (attributed to) - Compositional study with figures (probable preparatory sketch) sanguine with white chalk highlights on laid paper 24 x 27 cm Sheet of considerable interest, set up as a compositional study with several figures, resolved through a loose and modulated line in sanguine, enlivened by touches of white lead at the points of greatest light incidence. The organisation of the scene, built for compact masses and dynamic interrelations between the figures, suggests an advanced ideational phase, probably in relation to the planning of a larger pictorial composition.The plastic rendering of the bodies, the full volumetry and internal tension of the figures, combined with an energetic but controlled graphic ductus, find significant parallels in the drawing production of Jacob Jordaens, particularly in the sheets intended for the development of complex figurative inventions. The combined use of sanguine and white lead elevations contributes to the definition of an effective luministic structure, oriented more towards volumetric construction than descriptive detail.The paper support, a virgin paper with a vase watermark surmounted by a floral element, can be traced back to 17th-century Franco-Flemish production and is fully consistent with the materials in use in the Antwerp area, reinforcing the chronological and geographical relevance of the sheet. In terms of execution quality and stylistic features, the drawing appears to be a probable preparatory sketch, attributable to Jacob Jordaens.