Bust of a Saint

Gaetano Gandolfi

National Gallery of Art

The image is a closely cropped, highly detailed drawing that shows the upper torso and head of an elderly man who is slightly hunched forward. He is depicted in profile, gazing upwards to his right. His facial features are pronounced, with a prominent, curly white beard and bushy eyebrows, and his hair is thinning and curly. The man wears a garment that appears to be draped around his shoulders, with a visible button or decorative element. His right hand is visible, holding onto a rosary or set of prayer beads with large knuckles and slightly bent fingers. The background of the image is filled with fine, directional lines.