Woman with Basket

This intimate graphite sketch captures a woman in profile, her head slightly bowed as she carries a basket. The delicate lines on the dark buff paper suggest a moment of quiet activity, perhaps a daily chore. Executed in 1875, when the artist was just nineteen, this drawing reveals an early focus on capturing human form and gesture. The simplicity of the medium allows for a directness in observation, highlighting the contours of her face and the drape of her clothing without the distraction of color. It is an example of the kind of informal study that would later inform his more celebrated portraits, demonstrating a keen eye for lived experience rather than idealized form. The scale of the work, just over five inches tall, invites a closer look, drawing the viewer into this fleeting, unposed scene.