The artwork titled “Head of a Man,” created around 1718 by Antoine Watteau, is an embodiment of the Rococo art movement. Executed in chalk on paper, it measures 14.9 x 13 cm. Classified as a sketch and study, this piece resides in the esteemed Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York City, NY, USA.
The artwork presents the head and partial shoulders of a man in a three-quarter view. The medium of chalk on paper allows for a detailed yet soft depiction of the subject’s features. The man’s head is tilted back, his gaze directed upward, and his lips slightly parted, suggesting a moment of introspection or contemplation. The use of light and shadow adds a sense of depth and volume to the study, and the strokes are careful and refined, conveying both the texture of the skin and the intricacies of facial expressions. The simplicity of the composition focuses the viewer’s attention entirely on the man’s face, making it a striking representation of human emotion and character within the Rococo tradition.
