1863
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
A Boy in Florentine Costume is a 1863 chalk by Thomas Couture, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
The painting depicts a young boy dressed in traditional Florentine attire, rendered in black chalk with white chalk highlights on blue laid paper. The boy is shown in a dynamic pose, with his body turned to the left and his head facing forward. His right arm is bent at the elbow, and his left arm is extended downward. The artist's use of chiaroscuro creates a sense of depth and volume in the figure, with areas of strong contrast between light and dark. The overall effect is one of energy and movement, as if the boy is about to spring into action. If you're interested in learning more about the artist's techniques, you might want to explore the use of chiaroscuro in his other works.
Thomas Couture (French pronunciation: ; 21 December 1815 – 30 March 1879) was a French history painter and teacher.
See the richer artist page
![A Turk [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/12cde5f9bac9a966/thumb.webp)
