Study of the Head of a Bearded Man
about 1533
- Medium
- Black and white chalks, on blue paper (now discolored)
- Dimensions
- 30.6 × 22.9 cm
- Status
- In Museum Collection
- Collect24 Art ID
- C24-204578
Caught in quiet contemplation, this unidentified man gazes intently downward. Giovanni Girolamo Savoldo's mastery of chalk and his careful use of shadows and highlights increase the sense of drama in this characteristically penetrating, naturalistic portrayal, one of many that influenced generations of artists. In particular, Savoldo varied the texture and thickness of his strokes of black chalk to create a range of effects. On the left side of the sheet, for example, a mass of inky lines silhouettes the edge of the man's face. Savoldo drew the chalk lines around the edge of his chin more lightly, giving the impression of a wispy mustache and beard that softens into the hollows of his neck and cheeks. The gray-green tone of the paper serves as a middle tone between the black outlines and the white gleam on the man's forehead and ear.
Provenance
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Registry history
- about 1533 — Recorded in the collection of J. Paul Getty Museum — drawings
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