Artwork

Portrait of a Man in a Tricorn Hat

Portrait of a Man in a Tricorn Hat, by Georg Friedrich Schmidt, chalk, 1744
Portrait of a Man in a Tricorn Hat, by Georg Friedrich Schmidt, chalk, 1744

Portrait of a Man in a Tricorn Hat is a chalk drawing by the Baroque artist Georg Friedrich Schmidt. It dates from 1744 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Georg Friedrich Schmidt’s *Portrait of a Man in a Tricorn Hat* is a red‑chalk drawing executed on laid paper in 1744. The work presents a single figure in a three‑dimensional pose, rendered with the delicate line and shading characteristic of mid‑eighteenth‑century portraiture.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing depicts an unidentified gentleman wearing a tricorn hat, a fashionable headpiece of the period. The composition emphasizes the sitter’s status and attire, offering a glimpse into the social conventions of Rococo-era portraiture.

Technique & Style

Schmidt employed red chalk to achieve fine contours and a nuanced tonal range, exploiting the texture of laid paper for subtle variations in light and shadow. The handling reflects the decorative refinement and lightness associated with the Rococo aesthetic, while maintaining the precision of an engraver’s hand.

History & Provenance

Created by the German engraver, etcher, and pastelist Georg Friedrich Schmidt (1712–1775), the drawing belongs to his output during a productive middle period. No further ownership details are recorded in the available sources.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Georg Friedrich Schmidt

Artist

Georg Friedrich Schmidt

Georg Friedrich Schmidt was a German engraver, etcher and pastel painter, in the Rococo style.

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