Swan
n.d.
Medium
Red chalk with stumping over touches of graphite on ivory laid paper, tipped onto cream wove paper
Dimensions
12.3 × 15 cm (4 7/8 × 5 15/16 in.)
Classification
chalk
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
82248
Art Historical Context
This delicate drawing of a swan, created by an unknown artist, exemplifies the intimate artistry of preparatory sketches from the Prints and Drawings collection at the Art Institute of Chicago Rendered in red chalk with stumping—a technique where a soft tool blends the chalk to create smooth tonal gradients—over subtle touches of graphite, the work measures just 12.3 × 15 cm, inviting close contemplation. The choice of ivory laid paper, with its textured chains and wires visible from traditional handmade production, hints at origins possibly from the 17th or 18th century, when such supports we...