Seated Woman
Medium
Black and white chalk, on gray prepared ground, on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
39 × 26.4 cm (15 3/8 × 10 7/16 in.)
Classification
chalk
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
4268
Art Historical Context
**Seated Woman** by Pierre-Jacques Volaire invites visitors into the intimate world of 18th draftsmanship. This undated study, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago Prints and Drawings department, a poised female figure in a moment of quiet elegance. Volaire (1729–c.1802), a French artist spent much of his career in Italy, is best known for his dramatic volcanic landscapes inspired by Mount Vesuvius eruptions. Yet, works like this reveal his skill in figure drawing, likely a preparatory exercise blending observation with artistic invention. Executed in black and white chalk on a gray prepare...