One of Balzac's 'Contes Drolatiques'

Cox employs loose, uneven chalk strokes, layering overlapping lines to suggest shadow and texture. The cross‑hatching creates a sense of fabric depth, while the overall unfinished quality indicates a rapid, exploratory approach rather than a polished final piece. The drawing’s gestural handling emphasizes immediacy over detail.

Created in 1900, the work reflects Cox’s interest in literary illustration during the turn‑of‑the‑century revival of Balzac’s writings. It entered the museum’s collection through a mid‑20th‑century donation of the artist’s papers, providing a rare visual link between English illustration and French literary culture.