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A Seated Man Holding a Tablet

Carlo Maratta

1669

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque Baroque Nude

Dominant colour

A Seated Man Holding a Tablet is a 1669 chalk by Carlo Maratta, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Carlo Maratta
When & what style?: 1669 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a seated man holding a tablet on his lap. His body is turned slightly, with one arm resting on the tablet and the other hand raised, as if mid-gesture. The drawing is loose and quick, with red chalk lines that leave some areas shadowed and others more defined. The paper has a blue tint, and the artist used white chalk to brighten certain edges. The rough, sketchy style suggests this was a quick study, not a finished work. The way the artist played with light and shadow gives the figure a sense of movement. Next, check out Baroque to see how this style shaped art in the 1600s.