Head of a Youth Looking Up

Italienische Grafik 1395–1568, c. 1485

The head and shoulders of a smooth-skinned boy are drawn with delicate brown and white lines against tan-colored, vertically oriented paper. The boy is angled to our left, and his head and large eyes are raised to gaze up and in that direction. He has a short nose over a small mouth with parted lips that reveal two teeth. Tightly packed vertical white strokes create a highlight on his forehead and more curve around his eyes and cheeks. His fine, shoulder-length hair is created with parallel, wavy strokes and topped by a round cap with an upturned brim. His garment is suggested by faint strokes of brown around the neck and right shoulder, and a line of faint, half moon-shaped buttons down his chest.
Artist
Italienische Grafik 1395–1568
Date
c. 1485
Type
Drawing
Medium
leadpoint and brown wash, heightened with white gouache on gray prepared paper; laid down
Dimensions
25.5 × 19.5 cm
Collection
National Gallery of Art, Washington
Licence
Public domain, CC0

Image description

The head and shoulders of a smooth-skinned boy are drawn with delicate brown and white lines against tan-colored, vertically oriented paper. The boy is angled to our left, and his head and large eyes are raised to gaze up and in that direction. He has a short nose over a small mouth with parted lips that reveal two teeth. Tightly packed vertical white strokes create a highlight on his forehead and more curve around his eyes and cheeks. His fine, shoulder-length hair is created with parallel, wavy strokes and topped by a round cap with an upturned brim. His garment is suggested by faint strokes of brown around the neck and right shoulder, and a line of faint, half moon-shaped buttons down his chest.

Italienische Grafik 1395–1568