Head of a Woman Looking Down (Theresa Turner?)
1790
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1790
graphite
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
This sketch shows a woman’s head turned slightly away, her face in profile. Her hair is pulled back in a loose, swirling style with curls framing her face. The lines are soft and sketchy, with light shading to suggest her features. The artist used simple strokes to focus on shape and movement, not detail. This style fits the Romantic period, where feeling mattered more than strict realism. Check out Romanticism to see how artists like this one broke from earlier rules.
