Profile head and bust of a long-haired youth facing right
Red chalk study of a head in strict profile
A head and bust are shown in strict profile facing right, drawn in red chalk on toned paper. Long, softly waved hair falls from a rounded crown down past the shoulder, framing a smooth youthful face with straight nose and slightly parted lips. The modelling is broadly rubbed and the sheet is worn, spotted and creased, with a Uffizi collection stamp at the lower right corner.
On this page
Profile head and shoulders
The figure is seen in pure lateral profile, the far shoulder sloping away at the lower right. The long hair is treated as a broad mass with a single curling lock at the neck, and the bare shoulder is only lightly indicated. The type is an idealized youthful head rather than a portrait from life.
Broadly rubbed chalk modelling
Red chalk is applied in soft, even tones and rubbed to give the hair and face a warm, uniform relief, with the strongest accents reserved for the eye, nostril and the line of the jaw. The uniform stumping produces a smooth, almost sculptural surface.