Heads of a faun and a reclining woman (Les têtes d'une jeune femme et d'un faune)
This vibrant and enigmatic study of two heads was made in the 1790s, following the French revolution. A faun, swarthy and furtive, is drawn in dark and vigorous marks. Just behind him, and rendered in more delicate strokes, is the head of a sleeping woman, tilted back, her lips parted. David made such drawings throughout his life, especially in his late years, but their function is unclear. Are they memories, studies, or simply explorations of expression?
Artwork Details
- Title: Heads of a faun and a reclining woman (Les têtes d'une jeune femme et d'un faune)
- Artist: Jacques Louis David (French, Paris 1748–1825 Brussels)
- Date: ca. 1792–96
- Medium: Pen and dark brown iron gall ink
- Dimensions: Sheet: 6 1/8 × 7 11/16 in. (15.5 × 19.5 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Harry G. Sperling Fund, 2022
- Object Number: 2022.294
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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