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A Man Drawing

Jean-Baptiste Deshays

1750

chalk

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century reading

Dominant colour

A Man Drawing is a 1750 chalk by Jean-Baptiste Deshays, a Baroque work, depicting reading, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Jean-Baptiste Deshays
When & what style?: 1750 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

The image depicts a man sitting on a chair, engaged in the act of drawing. He is dressed in a long robe and has his legs crossed, with his right leg resting on the floor and his left leg bent at the knee. The man's attention is focused on the paper in front of him, where he is creating a sketch. The scene is rendered in black and white chalk on beige laid paper, which has been mounted on an older backing. The overall effect is one of quiet contemplation, as the man becomes fully absorbed in his creative pursuit. For those interested in exploring similar themes and techniques, the artist Deshays, Jean-Baptiste is a good starting point.