Head of a Man, Face in Profile c. 18th century

Pompeo Batoni rendered this study of a man's head in red chalk, a popular medium for drawings in eighteenth-century Italy. Batoni was a leading portraitist of the Grand Tour era, when wealthy Europeans, especially the British, traveled to Italy to experience its art, culture, and history. This drawing is intriguing because it departs from Batoni's typical polished portraits of the elite. The upward gaze and the open mouth create a sense of vulnerability. This more intimate portrayal might reflect the shifting cultural values of the time, as artists began to explore deeper emotional and psychological states. The red chalk gives the skin a warm, lifelike quality, emphasizing the humanity of the subject. Batoni’s attention to the musculature of the neck and jawline could express an interest in physiognomy. It invites us to consider how identity was constructed and interpreted through visual representation in the 1700s.