This image is a portrait drawing featuring a side profile of a person's upper body. The individual is positioned in such a way that only the head, neck, and shoulder area are visible, with the face turned to the side. The person's facial features are defined with delicate strokes, showcasing a prominent, softly shaded cheek and slightly colored lips. The hair appears to be swept back, depicted with flowing lines, and it has a light, airy texture that makes it seem voluminous. One of the person's hands is raised and rests softly on the side of the head, with delicate fingers lightly touching the forehead and surrounding the hair. The drawing is executed on a sheet of beige paper, which adds a warm tone to the composition. The sketches and shadings are created using a combination of color pencils or pastels, offering a range of colors from reds and blues to shades of black. The background is left unadorned, allowing the focus to remain on the artistic lines and the ethereal quality of the subject.
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This image is a portrait drawing featuring a side profile of a person's upper body. The individual is positioned in such a way that only the head, neck, and shoulder area are visible, with the face turned to the side. The person's facial features are defined with delicate strokes, showcasing a prominent, softly shaded cheek and slightly colored lips. The hair appears to be swept back, depicted with flowing lines, and it has a light, airy texture that makes it seem voluminous. One of the person's hands is raised and rests softly on the side of the head, with delicate fingers lightly touching the forehead and surrounding the hair. The drawing is executed on a sheet of beige paper, which adds a warm tone to the composition. The sketches and shadings are created using a combination of color pencils or pastels, offering a range of colors from reds and blues to shades of black. The background is left unadorned, allowing the focus to remain on the artistic lines and the ethereal quality of the subject.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

An Elegant Woman with Her Hands Covering Her Eyes

Walter Gramatté

Date
1920
Medium
colored chalks on tracing paper
Dimensions
overall: 33.7 x 25.8 cm (13 1/4 x 10 3/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1993.11.1
Credit line
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Time span
1901 to 1925
Department
CG-W

Subjects and terms

  • German
  • female
  • figure
  • Hand
  • Head
Provenance

C.G. Boerner, Düsseldorf; purchased 1993 by NGA.

Inscription

lower right in blue chalk: Walter Gramatté / 20; by later hand?, upper right verso in graphite: 97

NGA object ID 78932. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.