Caricature of a Man Standing by Desk (recto); Sketch of Male Head in Profile (verso)

The work titled Caricature of a Man Standing by Desk (recto); Sketch of Male Head in Profile (verso) is an early, revealing graphite drawing by Claude Monet French, 1840-1926, dating from 1855-1856. Executed in graphite on cream wove paper, this piece belongs to a collection of ephemeral sketches and caricatures Monet produced during his formative years in Le Havre, France, before he fully devoted himself to landscape painting and the Impressionist movement. These drawings reveal the early observational acuity of the future master in a quick, controlled medium.

The primary image on the recto features a highly stylized, almost grotesque exaggeration of a standing man placed beside a desk, characteristic of the young 1840-1926’s early interest in the popular art of satirical drawing. On the verso, the sheet holds a quick, observational study: a sketch of a male head in profile, likely captured from life. As a student in the port city, Monet was known in his local community for these humorous portraits, which he would sometimes sell to supplement his income. The directness of the graphite medium highlights the spontaneity necessary for such quick portraiture and demonstrates the sharp, controlled lines required for effective caricature.

While Monet later focused on the luminous effects of color and light in oil painting, pieces like this drawing provide invaluable insight into his foundational skills prior to his move to Paris. This classification as a drawing showcases the rigorous practice underlying his later output. The original work is housed in the esteemed collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. High-quality prints of this important work, now frequently found in the public domain, circulate widely, allowing broad access to this significant, formative period of the artist's career.