Artwork Page for Profile Portrait of a Man

Details / Information for Profile Portrait of a Man

Profile Portrait of a Man

18th century

attributed to Louis Rolland Trinquesse

(French, c. 1746–c. 1800)
Culture
France, 19th century
Medium
Black chalk counterproof
Measurements
Sheet: 20.3 x 17.5 cm (8 x 6 7/8 in.)
Credit Line
Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2018.41
Public Domain
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Location
Not on view
Print

Description

This portrait bust is a counterproof: the reverse image of a composition, made by placing blank paper on top of a drawing and transferring the design with pressure. Eighteenth-century artists frequently made counterproofs of their drawings to replicate their work. This process also enabled them to experience how their images would appear if they were reproduced as prints.
A vertically oriented black chalk counterproof depicts a man with light skin in a right-facing profile. His wavy hair is tied with a ribbon, and he wears a high-collared jacket over a ruffled shirt. Soft hatching defines his features and torso against the aged, speckled paper. Light strokes outline his brow and nose, while grainy, horizontal textures fill the background, grounding the figure in a hazy, shadowed space.

Profile Portrait of a Man

18th century

Louis Rolland Trinquesse

(French, c. 1746–c. 1800)
France, 19th century

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