Ornamental Sketches with Grotesque Masks 

Pierre Puget, a prominent French sculptor and draftsman, is known for his expressive and dynamic figures. This drawing depicts a grotesque mask, a common theme in the Baroque era, adorned with elaborate ornamental details. The artist uses a detailed hatching technique to render the mask's features and the surrounding ornamentation. The exaggerated features of the mask, including the large nose and wide eyes, highlight the artist's interest in capturing human expressions and emotions. This sketch may have served as a preparatory study for a larger sculptural work or a decorative element in a building. The use of grotesque imagery in this sketch highlights the artist's skill in depicting both beauty and absurdity, a key characteristic of the Baroque period.