Head of a Man

Sebald Beham German

Not on view


The clear contours and assertive crosshatching of this drawing make for a striking portrayal of a peasant man wearing an untailored, loose shirt and a soft-brimmed hat. Yet the deliberate distortion of teeth and tongue set frontally against his face in profile lends an element of ambiguity. Is the sketch meant to be a joke or a rebuke?

Head of a Man, Sebald Beham (German, Nuremberg 1500–1550 Frankfurt), Pen and iron gall ink (laid down)

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