Head of a Boy 18th-19th century

Curator: This is Claude Jean-Baptiste Hoin's "Head of a Boy," a drawing residing here at the Harvard Art Museums. The artist lived from 1750 to 1817. Editor: My first thought is quietude. The blue paper and the boy's closed eyes create a serene atmosphere. What’s the materiality like? Curator: Hoin employed black and white chalk. The blue paper acts almost as a mid-tone, unifying the image. It’s fascinating how the white chalk simultaneously defines form and evokes a sense of ethereality. Editor: The visible strokes point to the process. The artist’s hand, the pressure applied—these all become part of the portrait's story. How might this choice of medium relate to Hoin’s social context? Curator: Chalk, being relatively inexpensive, might indicate a focus on accessibility or perhaps a more intimate, less formal portrait. The downward gaze also invites reflection. Editor: It is amazing how a modest drawing on blue paper, can offer such a spectrum of reflections. Curator: Precisely, from the artist's hand to the boy's inner world, there's so much contained in this intimate study.