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Selected Chalk Drawings

Studies for the Libyan Sibyl (recto); Studies for the Libyan Sibyl and a small Sketch for a Seated Figure (verso), Michelangelo Buonarroti Italian, Red chalk, with small accents of white chalk on the left shoulder of the figure in the main study (recto); soft black chalk, or less probably charcoal (verso) — Studies for the Libyan Sibyl (recto); Studies for the Libyan Sibyl and a small Sketch for a Seated Figure (verso)
Michelangelo Buonarroti
ca. 1510–11

Dredging a Canal, Jacob van Ruisdael Dutch, Pen and black ink over black chalk, brush and gray wash; framing lines in pen and brown ink — Dredging a Canal
Jacob van Ruisdael
17th century

Seated Female Nude (recto); Standing Male Nude (verso), Pierre Paul Prud'hon French, Black and white chalk, stumped, on blue paper — Seated Female Nude (recto); Standing Male Nude (verso)
Pierre Paul Prud'hon
probably between 1810–20

View of St. Peter's and the Vatican from the Janiculum, Richard Wilson British, Welsh, Black chalk with stumping, heightened with white chalk on blue paper; laid down on original paper mount with purple border — View of St. Peter's and the Vatican from the Janiculum
Richard Wilson
1754

Seated Figure of Mercury, Parmigianino (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola) Italian, Black chalk — Seated Figure of Mercury
Parmigianino (Girolamo Francesco Maria Mazzola)
1524–26

Studies of a Head and a Hand, Andrea del Sarto (Andrea d'Agnolo) Italian, Red chalk — Studies of a Head and a Hand
Andrea del Sarto (Andrea d'Agnolo)
1510

Virgin and Child with Saint Elizabeth, the Infant Baptist, Saint Anthony of Padua, and a Female Martyr, Jacopo da Pontormo (Jacopo Carucci) Italian, Red chalk, brush and red wash — Virgin and Child with Saint Elizabeth, the Infant Baptist, Saint Anthony of Padua, and a Female Martyr
Jacopo da Pontormo (Jacopo Carucci)
1514–22

Pilate Washing his Hands, Bernard van Orley Netherlandish, Black chalk, squared in red chalk, on four joined sheets of paper — Pilate Washing his Hands
Bernard van Orley
early 1530s

Head of a Bearded, Young Man in Profile Facing Right

Bronzino (Agnolo di Cosimo di Mariano)

1545–55

Portrait of a Young Man Leaning on his Hand, Hans Troschel German, Black chalk, traces of white heightening — Portrait of a Young Man Leaning on his Hand
Hans Troschel
ca. 1620

A Knight of the Order of the Garter, Sir Peter Lely (Pieter van der Faes) Dutch, British, Black and white chalk, gray pastel, on blue-gray paper — A Knight of the Order of the Garter
Sir Peter Lely (Pieter van der Faes)
1663–71

Head of a Man, Antoine Watteau French, Red and black chalk — Head of a Man
Antoine Watteau
ca. 1718

Rhea Outwitting Saturn, Edme Bouchardon French, Red chalk on off-white laid paper, two sheets joined — Rhea Outwitting Saturn
Edme Bouchardon
18th century

Design for a Silver Chandelier with Two Variants, George Wickes, Red and black chalk — Design for a Silver Chandelier with Two Variants
George Wickes
ca. 1742–45

Portrait of Étienne Maurice Falconet (1716–1791), Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne the Younger French, Black, red, and white chalk, with stumping — Portrait of Étienne Maurice Falconet (1716–1791)
Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne the Younger
Etienne-Maurice Falconet
1741

Head of an Old Woman Looking Up, Jean-Baptiste Greuze French, Red chalk; framing lines in pen and brown ink — Head of an Old Woman Looking Up
Jean-Baptiste Greuze
ca. 1763

Figures in a Roman Arcade, Hubert Robert French, Red chalk; framing lines in pen and brown ink — Figures in a Roman Arcade
Hubert Robert
1763

A Country Girl at Surrentum, Allan Ramsay British, Scottish, Red chalk, heightened with white — A Country Girl at Surrentum
Allan Ramsay
September 1776

Study of a Seated Woman Seen from Behind (Marie-Gabrielle Capet), Adélaïde Labille-Guiard French, Red, black, and white chalk on toned laid paper — Study of a Seated Woman Seen from Behind (Marie-Gabrielle Capet)
Adélaïde Labille-Guiard
Marie Gabrielle Capet
1789

La Folie l'égare (Folly Adrift), Jean-Baptiste Mallet French, Black and white chalk on buff paper — La Folie l'égare (Folly Adrift)
Jean-Baptiste Mallet
Pierre Paul Prud'hon
ca. 1810–20

Drapery Study for "Castor and Pollux Freeing Helen", Joseph-Ferdinand Lancrenon French, Black chalk, stumping, white chalk, and black crayon on buff laid paper — Drapery Study for "Castor and Pollux Freeing Helen"
Joseph-Ferdinand Lancrenon
1817

Father Time on a Globe; Design for a Clock, Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse French, Red chalk, heightened with white chalk, touches of black chalk — Father Time on a Globe; Design for a Clock
Albert-Ernest Carrier-Belleuse
19th century

Self-Portrait, Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux French, Red and brown chalk, heightened with white on tan paper — Self-Portrait
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux
ca. 1865

Studies of a baby, Frederick Goodall British, Black and white chalk on brown paper — Studies of a baby
Frederick Goodall
1868