Etude d'enfant (Study of a Child)

Camille Bourget

1895

ink

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Impressionism Realism Late 19th Century

About this work

This sketch shows a child’s face turned slightly away, with soft, smudged lines for hair and clothes. The background is plain, letting the face stand out. Dark pencil or ink marks create loose shapes—eyes, lips, and a hint of a collar. The artist left some edges rough, almost like quick notes. This style fits how some painters worked fast to capture life’s simple moments. Next, look up lithography to see how this print was made.