The Upturned Head of a Young Boy in Profile 1724 - 1780

Curator: This is Gabriel de Saint-Aubin’s "The Upturned Head of a Young Boy in Profile," created sometime between 1724 and 1780. It's a pencil drawing, currently residing here at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Editor: Immediately, I'm struck by the tenderness in that upturned face. It’s such a vulnerable and intimate portrayal. The soft lines of the pencil work give it a sense of fleeting observation, as though Saint-Aubin captured a private moment. Curator: Precisely. Saint-Aubin was a chronicler of his time, known for sketching scenes of daily life in 18th-century Paris. This portrait provides insight into artistic practices and education of the period, the creation of artworks often serving pedagogical functions. Quick sketches were a vital method to document and communicate ephemeral impressions. Editor: I can sense a deliberate use of classical contrapposto within the upward gaze and tilted head, creating a spiral dynamic that elevates the image beyond a mere record. There is more going on here; his gaze evokes contemplation or longing, amplified by the upward orientation of his sightline. We instinctively follow the boy's gaze toward some hoped-for ideal. Curator: Given the lack of societal standing for children and, truthfully, any consistent conception of “childhood,” It is crucial to remember Saint-Aubin painted and drew in service of noble patrons, reflecting aristocratic aspirations of taste and cultural sophistication. Works of art—especially portraiture, a symbolic endeavor—reflected family lines, taste, and wealth. Editor: But there’s something very personal happening in those subtle details! His features are cast in soft light and shadow, and there is great weight afforded to such ephemerality: It makes me consider those traditions and question who or what has been memorialized. In these renderings, what survives from and beyond that socio-political world? Curator: That is a valid reflection, and one shared by critics from diverse camps of analysis and critique. Even with pencil drawings, it is easy to lose track of what is not pictured. Editor: Exactly. This delicate drawing manages to hint at grand themes of aspiration, visibility, and transcendence by invoking the fleeting present moment. A lovely testament, Saint-Aubin asks, 'What do we cherish; why, and how should we represent that?' Curator: Indeed, he urges us to look closer.