Figure Sketches and a Copy After a Sculpted Head [verso]

Executed in red chalk, the medium is applied thinly enough to allow the paper’s texture to show through, creating a translucent effect. The strokes are quick and irregular, characteristic of a preparatory sketch. The brown laid paper provides a warm ground that moderates the chalk’s brightness, enhancing the sketchy quality.

Although traditionally attributed to Antoine Watteau, scholarship suggests that the sculpted head reproduced on the verso was likely not created by him. The drawing’s provenance traces back to early 18th‑century collections, where it was catalogued as a study by Watteau, reflecting the period’s practice of copying three‑dimensional models for compositional planning.

The piece belongs to a broader tradition of artists using rapid chalk studies to explore form and light before committing to a painting or larger work. In the early 1700s, such sketches were common tools for mastering anatomy and for recording observations of sculptural models, aligning with the era’s emphasis on drawing as the foundation of artistic training.