Studie zu ‘Ossian und Malvina’ before 1821

This charcoal sketch by Johann Peter Krafft, a German artist active in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, is a study for a larger composition titled “Ossian and Malvina.” Executed in the Neoclassical style, the drawing depicts Malvina, the heroine of the epic poems of the Scottish poet Ossian, in profile, her hair pulled back in a simple bun. The artist's use of line creates a sense of both delicate beauty and classical restraint in this preliminary sketch. The study's subject matter and style reflect the artist's interest in the romanticism and historical themes popular during this period.