Head of a Bearded Man Looking Left
early 18th century
Medium
Black chalk, stumped, red chalk, pink pastel, on beige paper.
Dimensions
11 7/8 x 8 15/16 in. (30.1 x 22.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1909
Accession Number
10.45.16
Tags
Art Historical Context
François Le Moyne's *Head of a Bearded Looking Left*, created in the early 18 century, exemplifies the French artist's mastery of preparatory drawing during the dawn of the Rococo era. Le Moyne, a prominent history painter influenced by the Baroque grandeur of Peter Paul Rubens, often produced such intimate studies to refine his command of human expression and anatomy. This sheet, measuring 11 7/8 x 8 15/16 inches, captures a thoughtful, bearded figure gazing leftward, rendered on beige paper—a subtle ground that enhances the naturalistic warmth of the flesh tones. The mixed-media technique i...