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Head of a Macedonian Soldier

Charles Le Brun

1668

pastel

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Portrait

Dominant colour

Head of a Macedonian Soldier is a 1668 pastel by Charles Le Brun, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Charles Le Brun
When & what style?: 1668 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a soldier’s face in profile, wearing a helmet with a big plume. The helmet covers most of his head, leaving just his nose and jaw visible. The colors are mostly dark browns, reds, and whites, with quick, rough strokes. The artist used soft pastels and chalk to capture the texture of the helmet’s feathers and the soldier’s skin. This style was common in 17th-century France. Try looking up pastel to see how artists use this material.