Artwork
Head of a Gentleman [recto]
![Head of a Gentleman [recto], by Joseph Ducreux, chalk, 1775](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/joseph-ducreux--head-of-a-gentleman-recto--30a49475a608e388-w1024.webp)
Head of a Gentleman [recto] is a chalk drawing by the Romanticist artist Joseph Ducreux. It dates from 1775 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Head of a Gentleman is a drawing executed in 1775 by Joseph Ducreux, a French portrait painter of Lorraine origin. The work is rendered in red, black, and white chalks with stumping on brown paper.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a gentleman, portrayed with an emphasis on expressive facial features and gestures, characteristic of Ducreux's approach to portraiture.
Technique & Style
Ducreux employed a combination of red, black, and white chalks with stumping techniques on brown paper, achieving a nuanced and expressive rendering of the gentleman's likeness.
History & Provenance
Created in 1775, the drawing is associated with Ducreux's successful career as a court portraitist, notably serving as premier peintre de la reine under Louis XVI.
Artist & collection
Artist
Joseph Ducreux (26 June 1735 – 24 July 1802) was a portrait painter, pastelist and etcher from Lorraine who became a French national.
