Profile Sketch of Young Girl (from Sketchbook) 1857 - 1860

This is John Quincy Adams Ward’s “Profile Sketch of Young Girl,” made with graphite on paper. The work is striking because of the artist's precise control of line and form within the constraints of a simple medium. The sketch presents a young girl in profile, her gaze directed downwards, and she is positioned off-center. The delicacy and precision of Ward’s lines render a study in light and shadow. The texture of the paper contrasts with the smooth shading, particularly in the girl's bonnet and hair. The composition uses the white space around the figure to draw attention to the subject. Ward’s formal approach to portraiture mirrors a broader interest in realism and psychological depth. The structural clarity and simplicity of the piece allow us to appreciate both the technical skill and the semiotic weight of an image that challenges us to consider the silent narratives of youth and representation. In its form, the work quietly invites ongoing interpretation.