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A Bearded Man with a Staff

Simon Vouet

1620

chalk

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Renaissance Baroque

Dominant colour

A Bearded Man with a Staff is a 1620 chalk by Simon Vouet, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Simon Vouet
When & what style?: 1620 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketch shows a bearded man with a long staff, leaning on it as if tired. His body is turned sideways, but his head faces forward. The lines are loose and quick, with some areas erased to lighten the tone. The paper is tan, and the artist used black and white chalk to create shadows and highlights. The drawing looks like a study—maybe for a larger painting. The artist focused on the man’s posture and facial features, but left some details rough. The white chalk makes the highlights stand out against the darker lines. Look up Vouet, Simon next to see more of his work.

About the artist

Artist

Simon Vouet

Simon Vouet (French pronunciation: ; 9 January 1590 – 30 June 1649) was a French painter who studied and rose to prominence in Italy before being summoned by Louis XIII to serve as Premier peintre du Roi in France.

See the richer artist page