Portrait of a Man (recto); A Male Torso in Jacket and the Head of a Child (verso) 1740s

This red chalk drawing by Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi, also known as Fra Vittore Galgario, is a portrait of a man from the 1740s. The drawing is part of a larger work that also features a male torso and the head of a child on the back. The work, now held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, demonstrates the artist’s skill in capturing the likeness of a sitter in a simple yet expressive manner. The subtle shading of the chalk on the paper reveals the artist’s focus on the subject’s delicate features. The drawing exemplifies the practice of portraiture in the 18th century and demonstrates the artistic skill of Giuseppe Ghislandi.