Portrait of Duke Beccadelli c. early 20th century

Pier Leone Ghezzi made this drawing of the Duke Beccadelli sometime in the 18th century, using pen and brown ink, and brown wash over graphite on cream laid paper. It’s like Ghezzi just dashed this off – he was known for his caricatures, after all. Look at the speedy, curving lines that make up the Duke’s wig, or the quick strokes that define his coat. You can almost feel the artist’s hand moving across the paper, capturing the essence of the Duke in just a few deft gestures. I mean, who knew a few lines could say so much? I feel the push and pull between observation and exaggeration – the way the artist hones in on certain features to make his point. It makes me wonder what the Duke himself thought of this portrait. Did he laugh, or was he slightly offended? And it’s interesting to think about how artists, even centuries ago, were playing with representation and perception, just like we are today.