1850
graphite
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Head of a Young Woman is a 1850 graphite by Eastman Johnson, a Impressionism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a woman’s face in profile, her eyes closed as if resting. Her hair is pulled back neatly, and her collar is simple. The lines are soft and light, almost like pencil strokes on paper. The artist used loose, quick marks to suggest her features instead of sharp details. This style makes the drawing feel more like a sketch than a finished portrait. Look up sfumato next to see how artists blend edges like this.
Jonathan Eastman Johnson (July 29, 1824 – April 5, 1906) was an American painter and co-founder of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, with his name inscribed at its entrance.
See the richer artist page
