Artwork
Head of a Man [recto]
![Head of a Man [recto], by Théodore Géricault, ink, 1808](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/theodore-gericault--head-of-a-man-recto--d6e68ba78da40efa-w1024.webp)
Head of a Man [recto] is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Théodore Géricault. It dates from 1808 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1808, *Head of a Man* is a small drawing by French artist Théodore Géricault. Executed with pen and brown ink applied over preliminary graphite marks on wove paper, the work captures a single male head in a quiet, observational manner. It predates Géricault’s later, more celebrated historical compositions and illustrates his early interest in precise, naturalistic rendering.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a profile of a man turned toward the left, his short, tightly curled hair framing a face whose gaze falls downward. The subdued expression and downward glance suggest introspection or quiet contemplation, allowing the viewer to focus on the anatomical details rather than narrative content.
Technique & Style
Géricault employed a combination of graphite underdrawing and pen work, using brown ink to build layers of line and hatching. The dense network of strokes creates subtle tonal variation, modeling the facial planes and hair texture with a realism characteristic of early Romantic studies, while retaining a restrained, academic finish.
History & Provenance
The drawing belongs to the period when Géricault was establishing his reputation as a painter and lithographer. Though less public than his later monumental canvases, the piece reflects his formative practice. It has remained in the artist’s oeuvre as an example of his preparatory studies, later entering museum collections through 19th‑century acquisitions of his drawings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Louis André Théodore Géricault (French: ; 26 September 1791 – 26 January 1824) was a French painter and lithographer.
