Two Studies of the Head of a Young Man Crowned with a Laurel Wreath

David employed black chalk with a fluid, almost spontaneous touch, using varied pressure to suggest volume through soft shading along the jawline and temples. The hair and laurel leaves are rendered in quick, textured strokes, avoiding fine detail. The paper’s laid texture enhances the chalk’s granular quality, contributing to the sketch’s intimate, unpolished character.

The drawing entered the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., as part of a broader acquisition of David’s works on paper. Its origins trace to his time in Rome, where he studied antiquity and refined his draftsmanship. Though not a finished piece, it was preserved as an example of his evolving approach to portraiture and classical idealism.

In the late 1770s, David was immersed in the study of ancient sculpture and Roman portraiture, preparing for his academic ambitions. This drawing reflects the academic practice of repeated figure studies, often conducted from live models or casts. The laurel wreath, a recurring motif in classical art, served as a visual shorthand for virtue and achievement in Enlightenment-era artistic training.

Though modest in scale, this drawing exemplifies David’s foundational skill in capturing form with economy and sensitivity. It stands as a testament to the importance of drawing in his artistic development and influenced later generations of academic artists who valued preparatory studies as essential to compositional rigor.