A Comic Actor Dressed as a Gentleman [recto]

Jean-Baptiste Joseph Pater

1729

chalk

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century

About this work

This sketch shows a man dressed in fancy clothes—big wig, coat, and ruffled shirt—holding a cane and looking off to the side. His posture is stiff, almost like he’s posing for a portrait, but his face has a smirk. The drawing is loose and quick, with red chalk lines that feel a little rough around the edges. The paper has a textured look, like old paper with visible fibers, and the artist didn’t smooth out the lines. This kind of sketch was often used to practice or plan bigger works. Next, check out the technique: chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create drama in art.