Red Chalk Studies of Hands, a Face, and Drapery
Several separate studies on one sheet: hands, a reaching arm, a face, cloth
A red chalk sheet carrying several unconnected studies. At the top are two hands, one seen in near-profile with fingers curled and, beside it, an outstretched arm and open hand reaching to the right. Below, a single hand is drawn with fingers gently poised, and toward the centre a faint child-like face with lowered eyes emerges from the ground. At the lower left is a study of loosely gathered drapery or cloth. A collection stamp is impressed at the upper left.
On this page
Studies of hands and a reaching arm
At the top of the sheet one hand is shown with the fingers curled inward while a second, more lightly drawn, extends along an outstretched arm to the right. A further hand below is posed with fingers delicately spread, each study exploring the modelling of knuckles and tendons in soft chalk.
Faint child-like face
Near the centre a small face emerges faintly from the red ground, its eyes lowered and its features only lightly indicated. It is much rubbed and less finished than the hand studies above.
Study of gathered drapery
The lower left carries a study of cloth falling in loose, overlapping folds, worked up in fuller chalk with pronounced light and shade. It treats the fabric as an exercise in drapery modelling for a painted figure.