Portrait of Isidore Pils 1872 - 1875

This is a portrait sketch of Isidore Pils by French artist Théodore Ballu. Created between 1872-1875, it is a small work, measuring only 2 1/16 x 2 1/16 inches. The drawing captures Pils in profile, his distinctive features - including his large nose and mustache - emphasized through the artist's loose but expressive lines. Though the artwork is a simple sketch, it reveals Ballu's talent for capturing a likeness with a few strokes, highlighting the character of his subject. The drawing is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.