Artwork
Seated Woman Looking Down
Seated Woman Looking Down is a chalk drawing by the Baroque artist Jean Antoine Watteau. It dates from 1720 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Seated Woman Looking Down is a drawing by Antoine Watteau, created around 1720. It is executed in red and black chalk on laid paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a woman seated with her head tilted downwards, her hair pulled back, and wearing a high-necked dress with puffed sleeves. The pose and expression are captured with varying degrees of detail, suggesting a study of a particular attitude or emotion.
Technique & Style
Watteau employed soft lines and shading to convey the subject's features and attire. The use of red and black chalk, combined with stumping, achieves a warm and shadowy effect, characteristic of a rapid study. This technique was typical for artists exploring poses or expressions prior to completing a painting.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jean-Antoine Watteau was a French painter and draughtsman whose brief career spurred the revival of interest in colour and movement, as seen in the tradition of Correggio and Rubens.
Study of a seated woman (The Virgin)
A Young Woman Fixing Her Hair
Head of a Woman Looking Back Over Her Shoulder
Standing Woman with an Ermine Muff
Head of a Young Woman Wearing a Hat
Head of a Young Woman
Young Woman with a Rose
Young Girl at the Keyboard
A Girl in Peasant Dress
Head of a Young Girl Turning toward the Right
Standing Woman