Artwork

Ornamental Sketches with Grotesque Masks

Ornamental Sketches with Grotesque Masks, by Pierre Puget, chalk, 1657
Ornamental Sketches with Grotesque Masks, by Pierre Puget, chalk, 1657

Ornamental Sketches with Grotesque Masks is a chalk drawing by the Baroque artist Pierre Puget. It dates from 1657 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Ornamental Sketches with Grotesque Masks is a 1657 drawing by Pierre Puget, executed in black chalk on laid paper. It exemplifies the artist's Baroque tendencies, contrasting with the more restrained aesthetic prevalent during the Louis XIV era.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing focuses on grotesque mask designs, reflecting Puget's inclination towards dramatic and emotionally expressive forms, characteristic of his work in sculpture and drawing.

Technique & Style

Puget utilized black chalk on laid paper to create the sketches, demonstrating his mastery of expressive line work and texture, hallmarks of the Baroque style.

History & Provenance

Created in 1657, the work's provenance is not detailed here, but its creation date situates it within Puget's active period as a prominent French Baroque artist.

Context

Emerging from the French Baroque period, the piece diverges from the dominant Louis XIV style's classical restraint, instead embodying the era's more expressive and dramatic artistic currents.

Legacy

While specific legacy details of *Ornamental Sketches* are not provided, as part of Puget's oeuvre, it contributes to the broader appreciation of Baroque expressive forms in French art.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Pierre Puget

Artist

Pierre Puget

Pierre Paul Puget (16 October 1620 (or 31 October 1622) – 2 December 1694) was a French Baroque painter, sculptor, architect and engineer.

This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: National Gallery of Art open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.