Madame Cezanne

About this work

This sketch shows a woman’s face and shoulders in loose, quick pencil lines. The drawing is mostly dark, with just a few light strokes to suggest hair and a collar. The paper has a slight yellow tint, and the edges look like the page was torn from a book. The artist left out details like eyes or lips, focusing instead on shapes and shadows. This style was common in quick studies, where artists practiced capturing poses and expressions fast. Try looking up sfumato next—it’s a technique that blends edges softly, like smoke.