Standing Soldier
Nicolas-Toussaint Charlet, 1812–45
About this artwork
Standing Soldier, a captivating pen and brown ink drawing French artist Nicolas-Toussaintlet (1792–1845), dates from the period 1812–45 and measures 13 7/16 x 9 15/16 inches. Created during and after the Napoleonic Wars, this work exemplifies Charlet's signature focus on military life. As a veteran of Napoleon's Grande Armée himself, Charlet infused his art with authentic portrayals of soldiers, blending Romanticism's emotional depth with precise draftsmanship. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Department of Drawings and Prints (gift of János Scholz, 1963), it invites viewers to ponder the human side of warfare. Charlet's drawings often romanticized the common soldier, capturing their stoic pride amid Europe's turbulent early 19th-century conflicts. Here, tags like "Soldiers," "Firearms," and "Swords" suggest a lone figure equipped for battle, standing resolute—perhaps evoking the endurance of Napoleonic troops during campaigns like the 1812 Russian invasion. This piece reflects the era's cultural fascination with martial heroism, as lithography and ink sketches popularized such intimate military vignettes. Rendered in pen and brown ink, the medium allows for dynamic line work, conveying texture in uniforms and the gleam of weapons with economical strokes. Charlet's technique highlights his skill in figure drawing, making this study both a preparatory sketch and a standalone tribute to the everyman's valor, resonating with visitors today.