Study of an Old Man's Head
1891
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
1891
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
This sketch shows a close-up of an older man’s face and beard. The background is almost all black, making the face stand out in shades of gray and white. The beard is thick and curly, and the skin looks wrinkled, with deep lines around the eyes and mouth. The artist focused on texture—notice how the beard and hair look almost fuzzy. The lighting is simple but dramatic, leaving most of the face in shadow except for the eyes and nose. Check out chiaroscuro next to see how this lighting trick works in other art.
