Head of a Bearded Man
Domenichino trained at the Carracci Academy in Bologna and went on
to a successful career as a leading painter in Rome
and Naples. Draftsmanship based on close study of nature was the foundation of his artistic practice.
This sheet, typical of his large heads studies, was perhaps preparatory for a figure in a painting, though
it cannot be directly connected to any of his known works. Using black chalk with subtle white highlights, Domenichino conveys the slightly upturned eyes and serious expression of the figure, whose gravitas is reinforced by the flowing strokes defining his hair
and beard.
Artwork Details
- Title: Head of a Bearded Man
- Artist: Domenichino (Domenico Zampieri) (Italian, Bologna 1581–1641 Naples)
- Date: 1620–30
- Medium: Black chalk, highlighted with white chalk, on blue-gray paper partly faded light brown
- Dimensions: 13-3/8 x 9-9/16 in. (34.0 x 24.3 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Gustavus A. Pfeiffer Fund, 1994
- Object Number: 1994.183
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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