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A Distraught Woman with Her Head Thrown Back

Jacques-Louis David

National Gallery of Art

This drawing depicts the full body of a woman facing the right in a dramatic pose. The woman is standing on one leg, with the other leg slightly bent and lifted behind her, appearing to rest on the step of a staircase. Her head is tilted back, and both arms are extended, one in front of her toward the right and the other raised above her head, almost towards the top right corner. The woman's facial features are faint, with small lines suggesting a slightly open mouth and a furrowed brow. She has long, wavy hair that cascades down her back, and she is dressed in a loose, flowing garment with folds and shading. The background is plain aside from the steps below her, although the woman casts a dark shadow.

Artwork Details

Date
1775/80
Medium
pen and black ink with gray wash over black chalk on laid paper
Dimensions
3244 × 4353 px
Public Domain
Yes
Museum Record
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