Portrait of a Seated Young Lady Drawing under a Tree
late 18th–19th century
Medium
Black, red, brown and white chalk, brush and gray, blue and green wash, heightened with pastel; verso: black and red chalk
Dimensions
oval: 10 1/2 x 8 9/16 in. (26.7 x 21.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, C. G. Boerner Gift, 2006
Accession Number
2006.500
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the tranquil shade of a tree, Firmin Massot's *Portrait of a Seated Lady Drawing* (late 18th– 19th century) a moment of quiet creativity. The Swiss-born artist, known for his refined portraits and miniatures, depicts a poised young woman immersed in her sketchbook, evoking the Enlightenment-era ideal of feminine accomplishment in the arts. This intimate oval composition, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art reflects the period's growing emphasis on personal leisure and education among the upper classes. Massot's virtuoso technique shines through his mixed-media mastery: black, red, brown,...