Who painted A Young Man Embracing a Girl?

A Young Man Embracing a Girl was painted by Giovanni Battista Piazzetta in 1743.

Where can I see A Young Man Embracing a Girl?

A Young Man Embracing a Girl is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is A Young Man Embracing a Girl?

A Young Man Embracing a Girl is associated with Baroque.

Can I buy a print of A Young Man Embracing a Girl?

Museum-quality prints of A Young Man Embracing a Girl are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

A Young Man Embracing a Girl

Giovanni Battista Piazzetta , 1743

A Young Man Embracing a Girl is a charcoal drawing by the Baroque artist Giovanni Battista Piazzetta. It dates from 1743 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created circa 1743, Giovanni Battista Piazzetta’s drawing A Young Man Embracing a Girl is executed in charcoal on paper that was originally blue but has since faded to a muted gray. The work measures a modest size and presents a single, tightly composed scene of two figures in close contact, rendered with the lightness and intimacy typical of the Rococo period.

Subject & Meaning

The composition captures a brief, affectionate encounter: a young man, his hat tipped askew, leans into a girl whose loose dress folds around their bodies. The figures are pressed together, suggesting a moment of personal connection rather than a narrative episode, inviting viewers to contemplate the immediacy of human interaction.

Technique & Style

Piazzetta employed swift, dark charcoal strokes to define the silhouettes and shadows, leaving much of the background unfilled to focus attention on the pair. Highlights of white chalk accentuate edges such as the hat brim and the sleeve, creating subtle tonal contrast. The faded blue ground, now pale, originally provided a cool undertone that enhances the drawing’s delicate tonal range.

History & Provenance

The drawing is attributed to Piazzetta, an Italian artist noted for both religious commissions and genre scenes. While specific ownership records are scarce, the work aligns with his mid‑career output in the early 1740s, reflecting his engagement with Rococo aesthetics and his facility in drawing intimate, everyday moments.