Italiaanse knaap, het hoofd naar rechts 1710 - 1777

Charles-Joseph Natoire made this drawing of an Italian boy with black and white chalk on paper, probably sometime in the mid-18th century. Natoire skillfully exploits the qualities of his materials. The texture of the chalk lends itself to subtle gradations of tone, capturing the soft light on the boy's face. You can almost feel the powdery surface of the chalk on the page. The drawing's texture provides a sense of immediacy, as if it were created in a fleeting moment. But beyond its aesthetic appeal, a drawing like this also speaks to the social context of artistic training. In Natoire's time, the study of the human form was central to academic art, with countless hours spent copying plaster casts and drawing from life. This particular work may have been a study in preparation for a larger composition, or simply an exercise in capturing the likeness of an anonymous model. By considering the materials, techniques, and social context of this drawing, we can gain a deeper appreciation for its artistic value and its place in the history of art.