Sketchbook, page 71: Study of a Figure Reading in Bed, Study of a Hand

Ernest Meissonier

Cleveland Museum of Art

Pencil sketch on paper, depicting two studies. The main study shows a man reclining on a bed, facing left, with head resting on a pillow. The man is wearing a collared shirt. His right hand rests on his stomach; his left arm is bent at the elbow. A small table with a curved leg is to the left of the bed. In the upper right corner, a separate study of a right hand holding a writing instrument, possibly a quill pen. The hand is drawn in detail, with fingers curled around the instrument. The background of the paper is off-white, with some darker areas suggesting shading. Three small holes are punched along the top edge, indicating the paper was once part of a sketchbook. A small number "71" is written in the bottom left corner.