Half-Length Study for a Portrait of a Young Man
mid-18th–early 19th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink, gray wash, with touches of pink and blue in the face
Dimensions
6 9/16 x 4 5/8 in. (16.7 x 11.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.385
Tags
Art Historical Context
Pietro Antonio Novelli, a Venetian artist active in the late 18th century, crafted this intimate *Half-Length Study for a Portrait of a Young Man* during the mid-18th to early 19th century. Rendered on a modest scale of 6 9/16 x 4 5/8 inches (16.7 x 11.7 cm), the drawing showcases his skill in preparatory works, which were essential for developing full-scale portraits or paintings. Housed in the Robert Lehman Collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, it reflects the era's emphasis on detailed studies to capture likeness and character. Novelli employed pen and brown ink for precise lines, ...
About the Artist
Pietro Antonio Novelli · 1729–1804
**Pietro Antonio Novelli (1729–1804)** Pietro Antonio Novelli, a prolific Venetian painter, draughtsman, and engraver, trained under the esteemed Jacopo Amigoni and in the studio of Giambattista Pittoni, absorbing influences from Gaspare Diziani and Francesco Guardi. In 1768, he gained membership in the Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia with his reception piece, *Allegory of the Arts*. Early in ...