Portrait of a Young Woman
n.d.
Medium
Graphite on cream wove paper
Dimensions
26.4 × 22.6 cm (10 7/16 × 8 15/16 in.)
Classification
graphite
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
85337
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints Drawings Department, *Portrait of a Young Woman* is a delicate graphite drawing on cream wove paper measuring a modest 26.4 × 22.6 cm. Created by an unknown artist and undated, this intimate work captures the subtle essence of its subject through the versatile medium of graphite—essentially pencil marks that allow for exquisite gradations of tone and texture. Wove paper, its smooth, even surface of visible laid lines, was prized by draftsmen for rendering fine details without interruption, making it ideal for portraiture in the 18th and 19th cen...