Portrait of an Unidentified Black Servant

At the center of this sheet a Black youth is depicted gazing off to the right. His large eyes, expressive brow, round face, and double chin are rendered in delicate strokes of black chalk. The warm, brown tone of his skin is achieved by mingling red chalk throughout the black hatching and selectively blending the shades to model his visage. Black curly hair frames the right-side of his face, setting his striped hat slightly askew. The sitter’s dress is summarily described, but his high-collared shirt, jacket, and cap, suggests that he was a servant working in the Dutch court in The Hague in the 18th-century. The sitter’s inherent charm coupled with the artist’s delicate weaving of colors results in an enchanting portrait.