Two Male Heads in Profile to Right

Art Historical Context

In the late 18th to early 19th century, Austrian artist Jakob Matthias Schmut captured the elegance of human form in *Two Male Heads in Profile Right*, a striking offprint derived from a red chalk drawing Schmutzer, a master engraver and director of's Imperial Printing Office, renowned for his precise reproductive prints and portrait studies, bridging the Rococo and Neoclassical eras. Created between 1765 and 1810, this work reflects the period's fascination with classical profiles, evoking ancient Roman coins and Renaissance sketches while showcasing Enlightenment ideals of rationality and individualism. The medium—an offprint from red chalk (sanguine)—is particularly noteworthy. Red chalk's warm, fleshy tones lent a lifelike vitality to portraits, allowing artists like Schmutzer to achieve subtle modeling and depth without the permanence of paint. This technique, popular among draftsmen, facilitated the reproduction of drawings for wider dissemination, making high art accessible beyond elite patrons. Measuring an impressive 23¼ × 17⅞ inches, the large sheet emphasizes the heads' noble contours, inviting viewers to ponder their identities—perhaps sitters from Vienna's imperial circles. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1953), this piece exemplifies the artistry of preparatory studies turned into enduring prints, blending technical innovation with timeless portraiture.

About the Artist

Jakob Matthias Schmutzer · 1733–1811

Comment on works: copper engraver