The Old Peasant Girard
1772
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
Artist
Jean-Jacques de Boissieu
Jean-Jacques de Boissieu (1736–1810) was a French artist, born in Lyon.
See the richer artist page1772
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Old Peasant Girard is a 1772 ink by Jean-Jacques de Boissieu, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This is a black-and-white portrait of an older man with a serious expression. His wavy white hair and beard frame a lined face, and he’s dressed in a loose, buttoned coat over a high-collared shirt. His hands rest on his lap, fingers slightly spread, and the background is dark and plain, keeping all focus on him. The artist used shading to show wrinkles and texture in his clothes, making the man look real and worn. This kind of detail was common in Romanticism, where artists focused on everyday people and raw emotion. Next, check out etching to see how artists like this carved images into metal plates.
Jean-Jacques de Boissieu (1736–1810) was a French artist, born in Lyon.
See the richer artist page
