Studies of a Young Child
Red-chalk studies of infants, a child's head, torso and foot
A red-chalk sheet of studies of a young child. Two whole standing infants are drawn across the top, apparently handling a small object; below are a carefully modelled study of a baby's head, a plump torso seen from behind, and studies of the legs and a foot. An old attribution inscription and an inventory number are written along the lower edge. No notebook text by Leonardo accompanies the drawings.
On this page
Standing infants
The two figures across the top show a chubby child standing and bending forward, the soft rounded forms of infancy rendered in delicate red chalk. The paired poses study the balance and movement of a small child at play.
Head, torso and foot of a child
The lower half gathers separate studies: a finely shaded head of an infant, a plump torso seen from the back, and studies of the legs and a foot. Each isolates a part of the child's body for close observation of its form.