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Head of a fiend

Forbes-Robertson

1850

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Early 19th Century

Dominant colour

Head of a fiend is a 1850 by Forbes-Robertson, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Forbes-Robertson
When & what style?: 1850
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This sketch shows a side profile of a face with wild, tangled hair. The lines are loose and quick, giving the drawing a rough, sketchy feel. The eyes are sharp, but the mouth looks slightly open, like the person is mid-speech or surprised. The artist used lots of overlapping lines to build up shadows and texture, especially in the hair. It’s not polished—just a quick study of a face, maybe for a bigger work. Check out cross-hatching to see how artists build up tone with layered lines.