Who painted Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei?

Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei was painted by Jacques-Louis David in 1778.

Where can I see Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei?

Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei?

Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei is associated with Neoclassicism.

Artwork

Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei

Jacques-Louis David , 1778

Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei is a graphite drawing by the Neoclassicist artist Jacques-Louis David. It dates from 1778 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Woman with a Pitcher, from the Palazzo Mattei is a drawing created by Jacques-Louis David in 1778 using dark brown ink, gray wash, and graphite on beige paper.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts a barefoot woman in a flowing, draped robe, her head covered, holding a large ornate pitcher as she faces left. The subject is presented in a serene and contemplative pose.

Technique & Style

David's use of gentle lines, subtle shading, and layered media creates a soft, intimate atmosphere. The combination of dark brown ink, gray wash, and graphite on beige laid paper contributes to the drawing's quiet, romantic quality.

Context

This work is associated with the early career of Jacques-Louis David, a period that laid groundwork for his later developments.

Artist & collection

Artist

Jacques-Louis David

Jacques-Louis David was born in Paris on 30 August 1748 into a bourgeois family; his father died in a duel when the boy was nine, and a maternal uncle guided his education.