Half-length Portrait of a Seated Woman France, 18th century

Half-length Portrait of a Seated Woman

1781

Charles-Nicolas Cochin

(French, 1715–1790)

France, 18th century

black chalk

Support: Beige laid paper, laid down on cream laid paper

Watermarks:

Sheet: 16.5 x 11.4 cm (6 1/2 x 4 1/2 in.); Secondary Support: 25.3 x 20.2 cm (9 15/16 x 7 15/16 in.)

Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2008.393

Location: not on view

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Description

Cochin was one of the great portraitists of the 18th century because he made many drawings of some of the most prominent men and women of his time. Typically, his portrait drawings show the sitter in profile, like a bust on a coin or medal. However, toward the end of his life, he began to favor the half-length format we see here. Although he signed and dated this sheet, he unfortunately did not inscribe it with the sitter's name. Recently, two related drawings showing similarly dressed women seated in the same chair we see here sold at auction in Paris. All three sheets probably depict members of the same family.