The Head of a Boy and of an Old Man

This close-up view of two figures reading is an exquisite example of a drawing genre known as ‘character heads’, developed by Piazzetta and prized by early eighteenth-century collectors. The artist cleverly aligns the boy’s focused gaze with the man’s pointing finger as it presses emphatically on the page. Seemingly interrupted in his lecture, the old man looks away. Flecks of white chalk indicate highlights and contrast with the sharp black lines of the boy’s hair, creating dramatic tonal range.