1716
chalk
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Figure Sketches and a Copy After a Sculpted Head [verso] is a 1716 chalk by Jean Antoine Watteau, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a loose, quick sketch of a person’s head and shoulders in red chalk. The lines are soft and uneven, like a first try at capturing hair and a face. In the background, there’s a faint outline of what might be a building or furniture, barely there. The paper is brown and textured, and the chalk is light enough that you can see through to the other side. This sketch was likely done as practice or notes—maybe even copied from a sculpture. Next, check out Baroque to see how artists used movement and drama in their work.
Jean-Antoine Watteau was a French painter and draughtsman whose brief career spurred the revival of interest in colour and movement, as seen in the tradition of Correggio and Rubens.
See the richer artist page
![Female Figure (Penitent Magdalene?) [verso]](https://pub-3a17a9933ad74fb28aa30fa758592f23.r2.dev/artworks/b0756d00ad6853a6/thumb.webp)
