Tête de femme II 

Pierre Puvis de Chavannes made this drawing, Tête de femme II, using black chalk. Puvis de Chavannes was an important figure in late 19th-century French art. His simplified forms and muted colors were adopted by Symbolist painters and even the early modernists. In his own time, he was best known for his murals in public buildings in France. These murals were intended to uplift public life through art. His art was part of a larger movement of state-sponsored art that emerged in France after the revolution. The French state believed that art could help to create a sense of national unity and civic pride. To understand Puvis de Chavannes’ art, it's important to look at the social and political context of his time. Art historians consult archival sources, exhibition reviews, and other period documents to gain a better understanding of the cultural forces that shaped his work.