Five Sketches of Heads — Samuel Drummond

ABOUT THIS WORK

This sheet offers a fascinating glimpse into the artistic process, showing five distinct head studies. The pen and brown ink bring a lively immediacy to each face, capturing varied expressions and angles. Look closely at the different types of individuals depicted: an older man with a thoughtful gaze, a younger face with delicate features, and others rendered with quick, confident strokes. These studies were likely practice, a way for the artist to hone skills in capturing human likeness and emotion before tackling larger, more formal portraits. The year 1785 places this work early in Samuel Drummond's career, as he would have been around 19 years old, just before he formally entered the Royal Academy Schools. It reveals the foundational work that underpinned his later success in portraiture.

DETAILS

Artist: Samuel Drummond
Date: 1785
Medium: Pen and brown ink on cream wove paper
Location: Art Institute of Chicago
Dimensions: 23.6 × 18 cm (9 5/16 × 7 1/8 in.)

LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

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01

Downcast central profile

The middle head looks down, with lowered lids and a smooth, finely shaded cheek. Its calm contrasts with the busy curls and wrapped headdress above.

1 of 4 on the painting

02

Hatching in the shadows

Under the chin of the top right head, dense parallel strokes build a dark wedge of neck. Line alone makes the volume here.

2 of 4 on the painting

03

Curly hair

On the lower left head, looping scribbled curls pile up in a thick mass. The loose, quick pen suggests texture without outlining every lock.

3 of 4 on the painting

04

Open-mouthed face

Lower right, a man with raised brows and parted lips looks out as if caught mid-word. His dark mouth is the sharpest accent on the sheet.

4 of 4 on the painting

05Whole painting

Heads floating on the page

Five heads sit without a setting, three in profile above and two turned toward us below. The arrangement reads like a page of studies.

THE ARTIST

Samuel Drummond

1766–1844 · England

Samuel Drummond, a British painter, captured the likenesses of notable figures like Walter Scott and documented maritime history with grand oil paintings.

Read Drummond’s full story