Caricature of a Man with a Large Nose

The work titled Caricature of a Man with a Large Nose was created by Claude Monet French, 1840-1926 between 1855 and 1856. This early drawing, executed in graphite on tan wove paper, predates the artist's famed Impressionist period by nearly a decade. During his youth in Le Havre, France, Monet often produced humorous charcoal and graphite portraits for local commissions, gaining initial recognition not as a landscape painter, but as a skilled caricaturist.

This particular piece exemplifies the quick, decisive line work characteristic of his caricatures from this era. The subject, an unidentified man, is rendered with an exaggerated focus on his profile, emphasizing the titular large nose, thick brow, and receding hairline. Monet uses subtle cross-hatching and deliberate shading in graphite to give definition to the features, contrasting the carefully articulated portrait against the plain background of the tan wove paper. Although drawings like this differ dramatically from the vibrant oil paintings he would later create, they reveal 1840-1926’s early mastery of observation and rapid compositional skill.

Produced during a transitional phase in French art history, these early works secured the young Monet financial independence and crucial mentorship before he turned toward plein air landscape painting. The shift from sharp, satirical observation to atmospheric representation makes drawings like Caricature of a Man with a Large Nose vital documents for understanding 1840-1926’s comprehensive artistic development. This significant early example of French draughtsmanship resides in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As an important historical artwork, high-quality digital prints are often made available through public domain initiatives.