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François Joseph Talma

François Girard

1829

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Romanticism Early 19th Century Portrait

Dominant colour

François Joseph Talma is a 1829 by François Girard, a Romanticism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: François Girard
When & what style?: 1829 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This is a black-and-white portrait of a man with curly hair and a serious expression. He’s wearing a high-collared shirt and a dark coat, with one hand resting on his chest. The background is plain, keeping all focus on his face. The artist used shading to make his face look three-dimensional, especially around the eyes and jaw. Notice how the light hits his cheekbones while the shadows deepen the hollows. Look up chiaroscuro next to see how this technique works in other art.