Charcoal study of a Madonna group beneath an arch
Two women's heads inclined together above a reaching child
In soft black chalk two female figures lean their heads tenderly together near the top of the sheet, their bodies merging into loosely drawn drapery below. A small child reaches upward at the lower left, and a lightly sketched arched framing encloses the whole group. The sheet is a compositional study for a devotional Madonna group. The chalk is rubbed and the contours remain exploratory.
On this page
Two women's heads inclined together
At the top of the group two female heads bend toward one another, eyes lowered in a tender exchange. Their faces are softly modeled while their shoulders and drapery dissolve into broad chalk strokes.
Child reaching upward
A small nude child sits at the lower left and reaches up toward the seated figures. The pose links the child to the maternal group above.
Arched framing around the group
Faint straight and curved lines sketch an arched niche or frame around the figures, indicating how the composition would be set within an enclosing shape. The framing marks the sheet as a study toward a finished picture.