Costume Study for the Portrait of a Lady 

This is a preliminary sketch by Benjamin West, one of the leading artists of the 18th century. The piece is likely a *costume study* for a portrait painting of a woman, featuring a seated figure draped in elaborate clothing. The artist's use of *pencil* on paper creates a sense of movement and volume, suggesting the artist's experimentation with composition and drapery before moving to the final painting. Although the subject's face is absent, the detail of the costume and the surrounding drapery gives insight into West’s creative process, which was widely influential for future generations of artists.