Head of a Boy

This small, intimate drawing captures the delicate features of a young boy, his gaze directed slightly downward, suggesting a moment of quiet contemplation or perhaps a pose held for the artist. Rendered in metalpoint, a demanding technique that leaves no room for error, the lines are remarkably precise and confident. The artist, known as the Master of the View of Saint Gudula, skillfully uses the fine silver stylus to build up subtle gradations of tone, particularly visible in the soft curve of the boy’s cheek and the gentle shadow beneath his chin. This drawing offers a rare glimpse into the preparatory process of a 15th-century Netherlandish workshop, likely serving as a study for a larger painting or panel. The boy’s cap, simply indicated, grounds the portrait in the everyday life of the period, while the overall sensitivity of the rendering elevates it beyond a mere sketch.