Artwork
Head of a Bearded Man, Looking Right
Head of a Bearded Man, Looking Right is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist Alexandre Bida. It dates from 1859 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
The man’s expression is calm, but the quick, loose marks suggest the artist was working fast, maybe even from life.
This is a close-up drawing of a man with a thick beard, his face turned to the side. The lines are soft, almost smudged, like the artist used his finger to blend the graphite.
Bida made this in just one year—1888—before he died at 38. The blue paper gives the sketch a quiet, moody feel, like early morning light. The man’s expression is calm, but the quick, loose marks suggest the artist was working fast, maybe even from life.
If you like this, look up the technique called *sfumato*—it’s how artists soften edges to make faces look real.
Overview
Head of a Bearded Man, Looking Right is a graphite drawing on blue wove paper created by Alexandre Bida.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a bearded man in profile, his face rendered in soft, smudged lines that convey a calm demeanor. The subject's tranquil expression is juxtaposed with the loose, rapid marks that suggest a swift execution, possibly from life.
Technique & Style
Bida employed a technique that softens the edges of his subject, creating a sense of depth and subtlety. The use of graphite on blue paper lends the drawing a muted, atmospheric quality, evoking the soft light of early morning.
History & Provenance
The drawing was created in 1888, a year before Bida's death at the age of 38.
Artist & collection
![Study of a Bearded Man [verso], by Hans Holbein the Elder](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/hans-holbein-the-elder--study-of-a-bearded-man-verso--de5f75ff05223498-w320.webp)
