Three Head Studies
1604
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Three Head Studies is a 1604 by Unknown, a Baroque work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
This sketch shows three quick portraits of older men with beards, drawn in soft browns and grays. The paper looks worn, and the lines are light, like the artist was testing shapes. One face is turned slightly away, another is in profile, and the third is a close-up of a balding head. The drawings feel rushed but full of character—notice how the artist captured wrinkles and hair texture with just a few strokes. These sketches might be practice for a bigger painting. Next, check out chiaroscuro to see how light and shadow create depth in drawings like this.
![Sheet of Studies [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/1bdf3f81c9affbae/thumb.webp)
![Bust of Two Men [recto]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/aa76f84e77b8c1b2/thumb.webp)
