This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions), and as such we offer a high-resolution image of it. See our image rights statement.

 

This and 20 other objects are a part of a set whose first object is Album, Album of Figure Studies.

Object Timeline

1920

  • We acquired this object.

2016

2025

  • You found it!

Print, Studies of a Head

This is a Print. It was designed by Pierre Thomas Le Clerc and print maker: Jean-François Janinet and published by Chez Le Pere et Avaulez and dedicatee: Jean Baptiste-Marie Pierre. It is dated 1773 and we acquired it in 1920. Its medium is crayon-manner with red ink on laid paper. It is a part of the Drawings, Prints, and Graphic Design department.

This object was donated by Advisory Council. It is credited Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council.

It is signed

Lettered lower left, in plate: Le Clere del.; lettered lower right: J.F. Janinet sculp.

It is inscribed

Lettered upper center, in plate: Pour dessiner une tête de face dans ses proportions, vous formerez un ovale large du haut et qui se retrecisse du bas dans la forme d’un oeuf. Coupez l’ovale par le milieu, d’une perpendiculaire;/ divisez le tout en quatre parties égales; sur la permiere section sera la naissance des cheveux, sur la seconde que nous diviserons en cinq parties, seront les yeux qui occuperont la 2eme et 4eme / partie; le nez occupera la troisieme section et sera de la largeur de l’oeil. L’espace de la 3eme section jusqu’au bas de l’ovale, se divise en trois dont la premiere section sera pour placer la bouche; vous/ placerez les oreilles depuis la ligne des yeux jusqu’à celle du nez ou vous commencerez le col qui doit être gros de la moitié de la Tête,/ mais allant en s’elargissant du côté des epaules; sa longeur depuis le menton jusqu’à la fossete est d’une 4eme partie de la tête./ 2e Cahier. No. 3; lettered lower right, in plate: Les proportions de la tête de profil sont les mêmes; il faut observer seulement de reculer le/ derriere de la tête d’une sixieme partie du diameter suivant l’exemple cy dessus.; inscribed in graphite lower left, outside plate: 8

Cite this object as

Print, Studies of a Head; Designed by Pierre Thomas Le Clerc (French, ca. 1740 - ca. 1796); Print Maker: Jean-François Janinet (French, 1752 - 1814); Published by Chez Le Pere et Avaulez; Dedicatee: Jean Baptiste-Marie Pierre (French, 1714 – 1789); France; crayon-manner with red ink on laid paper; Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council; 1921-6-437-8

This image is in the public domain (free of copyright restrictions). You can copy, modify, and distribute this work without contacting the Smithsonian. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.

If you would like to cite this object in a Wikipedia article please use the following template:

<ref name=CH>{{cite web |url=https://www-4.collection.cooperhewitt.org/objects/18281353/ |title=Print, Studies of a Head |author=Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum |accessdate=7 February 2025 |publisher=Smithsonian Institution}}</ref>