Young Girl Seated

This wistful young girl is thought to be the artist’s sixteen-year-old daughter Rosalie. The traditional title, La Resignée (The Resigned One), seems particularly poignant in light of the fact that Rosalie died three years later (the erroneous date of 1765 on the cartouche was added by a later owner). The drawing showcases Fragonard’s remarkable chalk technique, from the vigorous strokes visible in the sitter’s bodice to the softer, less distinct lines of the slipping shawl. The most intense graphic activity is visible around the girl’s heart, suggesting emotional turmoil.