Woman with Tambourines

The work Woman with Tambourines by Jacques-Louis David is a fascinating example of preparatory draughtsmanship, created during the crucial transitional period of 1775-1780. The piece is rendered using the specific technique of transfer tracing on oiled laid paper. This demanding technical process involved treating the laid paper with oil to increase its transparency, allowing David to trace or precisely transfer an existing compositional idea onto a new surface or to reverse the orientation of a figure for further development. This classification as a drawing offers invaluable evidence regarding the meticulous working methods of the highly influential artist as he developed his mature Neoclassical style.

Dating to the years immediately following David's extended study in Rome, the drawing exemplifies the influence of classical and antique forms on the young French master. The period 1751 to 1775 saw the rise of strict classicism in reaction to the Rococo, and David would soon become its chief exponent. The female figure, captured mid-pose while holding musical instruments, reveals David’s early engagement with the dynamic representation of anatomy and drapery. Though the exact final use of this study is uncertain, the figure's animated posture suggests a potential role within a larger history or mythological painting that the artist was developing at the time.

This drawing provides a direct window into the composition process before the revolutionary fervor of his later career. The work resides within the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art, forming an important part of the museum’s holdings of French drawings from the late eighteenth century. Because of its age and cultural significance, this piece is often cited as being within the public domain, making high-quality reference prints available for scholars researching David’s early artistic development.