Boy Reading
c. 1861
François Bonvin French, 1817-1887
France
Large-scale monochrome drawings, such as this one, became popular in 19th-century France and were considered finished works in their own right, rather than preparatory studies for paintings. Here, a young boy is lost in contemplation while reading a book. This scene of leisure serves as a counterpoint to Servant Drawing Water from the Fountain (2024.149), which depicts a maid at work.
Black chalk, heightened with touches of white chalk, on white laid paper