Portrait of Alfred Rethel, looking up; verso: Studies of two heads
19th century
Medium
Graphite
Dimensions
sheet: 8 1/4 x 5 1/4 in. (21 x 13.3 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, C. G. Boerner Gift, 2010
Accession Number
2010.162
Tags
Art Historical Context
This intimate graphite drawing by Heinrich Karl Anton Mücke presents a profile portrait of fellow artist Alfred Rethel, shown gazing upward with quiet intensity. Created in the 19th century on a modest sheet measuring just 8¼ by 5¼ inches, the work captures a fleeting moment through delicate lines and subtle shading. Graphite’s precision suited the era’s emphasis on careful observation, allowing artists to explore expression and form in personal studies rather than formal commissions. The sheet’s verso adds further interest, featuring quick studies of two heads that reveal Mücke’s working pro...