Head of a Sheep
c. 1881
Medium
pastel over black chalk and touches of gouache on light gray paper
Dimensions
sheet: 42.7 × 29.3 cm (16 13/16 × 11 9/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Funds from Anonymous
Accession Number
2022.195.1
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the National Gallery of Art's collection, *Head of a Sheep* (c. 1881) by Italian artist Francesco Paolo Michetti the quiet nobility of rural life. Created during a period when Michetti was deeply immersed in Realism, drawing inspiration from the pastoral landscapes of his native Abruzzo region, this intimate study portrays the textured wool and expressive features of a sheep's head remarkable sensitivity. At 42.7 × 29.3 cm, it's a modest sheet that invites close contemplation, evoking the simplicity and authenticity of everyday farm animals in late 19th-century Italy. Michetti's ma...