Mädchenkopf im Profil

Art Historical Context

"Mädchenkopf im Profil" (Girl’s Head in Profile) is sensitive chalk drawing by Josef Wawra, created around 1920. The 41 × 31 cm sheet presents a young girl in quiet profile, her features gently modeled with soft, economical strokes. As part of the Belvedere Collection in Vienna, the work offers an intimate glimpse into early-twentieth-century Austrian draftsmanship. Chalk on paper was prized at the time for its ability to capture subtle gradations of tone and texture. Wawra exploits these qualities to suggest both the softness of skin and the quiet presence of his subject, demonstrating how a seemingly simple medium can convey depth and personality. Created in the years following the First World War, the drawing reflects a broader Viennese interest in everyday human subjects rendered with quiet lyricism. Its presence in the Belvedere underscores the museum’s commitment to preserving the full spectrum of Austrian artistic production, from grand canvases to these more personal studies on paper.