Manskop met baret en een hand aan een gevest

The detailed drawing Manskop met baret en een hand aan een gevest by Jean Antoine Watteau, executed circa 1717-1719, is an outstanding example of the artist's profound skill in observational study. This work belongs to Watteau’s late period, shortly after his official reception into the Académie, and exemplifies his mastery of capturing fleeting psychological presence through preparatory portraiture.

Rendered primarily in chalk on paper, the technique allows for a remarkable contrast between the soft, volumetric modeling of the man’s face and the sharper delineation of his beret and the powerful grip on the sword hilt. Watteau was celebrated across Europe for his innovative approach to drawing, often using the trois crayons method (red, black, and white chalks) to capture complex textures, highlights, and the nuanced interplay of light and shadow, giving the figure an immediate vitality.

The subject, a man in a feathered beret, reflects the period's interest in costumed figures—suggesting either a character from the Commedia dell’arte, a theatrical player, or a specific type of soldier, common elements in the early Rococo aesthetic. This piece likely served as reference material for the inhabitants of his more elaborate fêtes galantes. The careful attention to the hand grasping the weapon's pommel highlights the artist’s dedication to recording bodily pose and costume detail. This detailed depiction demonstrates why Watteau remains one of the most celebrated draftsmen of the eighteenth century. Classified as a foundational drawing, this work is held in the permanent collection of the Rijksmuseum. Due to the artwork’s age and historical significance, high-quality prints derived from comparable Watteau studies are frequently entering the public domain, ensuring broad access to his pioneering work in draftsmanship.