Artwork
Head of an Girl from Civita d'Antino in Regional Dress (Catarinella")"
Head of an Girl from Civita d'Antino in Regional Dress (Catarinella")" is a graphite painting by the Post-Impressionist artist Peder Severin Krøyer. It dates from 1896 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work functions as a visual record of 19th-century Scandinavian interest in folk attire, using graphite to highlight texture and detail.
The drawing portrays a young girl identified as a resident of Civita d'Antino, rendered in traditional regional dress. Krøyer's careful rendering of the fabric and accessories emphasizes the sitter's cultural affiliation, while the modest pose and direct gaze convey youthful innocence and local pride. The work functions as a visual record of 19th-century Scandinavian interest in folk attire, using graphite to highlight texture and detail.
By situating the figure within a specific geographic context, the piece suggests a connection between personal identity and communal heritage, inviting viewers to consider how dress encodes social meaning.
Technique & Style
Executed in graphite, the work is a portrait drawing on a modest sheet measuring 27.9 by 21.6 centimeters. The handling pairs dry graphite line work with watercolor paint, allowing Krøyer to combine precise contour drawing with subtle chromatic washes that suggest the textures of the regional dress and the soft modeling of the girl's features. Stylistically, the piece aligns with late nineteenth-century Scandinavian portrait practice, focusing on ethnographic and regional costume studies.
The small scale and mixed dry-wet technique are characteristic of preparatory or intimate observational studies rather than large-scale finished compositions.
History & Provenance
Head of a Girl from Civita d'Antino in Regional Dress (Catarinella) was executed in 1896 by Danish painter Peder Severin Krøyer using graphite and watercolor on paper. The work entered the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is presently housed; earlier ownership details are not recorded in the available sources.
Overview
Peder Severin Krøyer created Head of an Girl from Civita d'Antino in Regional Dress (Catarinella) in 1896. This graphite sketch captures a young woman from the Italian village of Civita d'Antino, identified as Catarinella, dressed in traditional attire. The artwork is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, offering a glimpse into Krøyer's observational studies.
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