Sketches of Heads and Hands

Pompeo Batoni

1748

chalk

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century Nude

About this work

This sketch shows two loose drawings on tan paper. One is a quick study of a hand resting on a knee, drawn in black. The other is a head turned slightly, with a few red chalk lines for the mouth and hair. The paper looks old, with small stains and rough edges. The artist used two colors—black and red chalk—to keep it simple and fast. The hand study is especially rough, like a quick note to remember shapes. Next, look up Baroque to see how this sketch fits into that bold, dramatic style.