# An Old Woman Spinning

**Claude-Louis Desrais** (French, 1746–1816)  
1810–30  
Graphite, pen and black ink, brush and watercolor, white chalk on rough gray paper  
20.6 x 22.5 cm (8 1/8 x 8 7/8 in.), irregular

Courtesy of Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, 1931-64-204. [The museum's record](https://collection.cooperhewitt.org/view/objects/asitem/id/47634).

## About this work

Old woman at work spinning.

_Text from Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum._

Claude-Louis Desrais painted this in 1810–30, aged 64. It is now at Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York.

### How it was made

- **Chalk.** Natural black, red and white chalks. Used together on toned paper they could give the warmth of flesh with very little effort, and they were favourites for studies from life.
- **Watercolour.** Pigment in gum arabic, thinned with water and laid in transparent washes. Nothing white is painted: the light is the paper showing through.
- **Graphite.** Pencil. Graphite has been used for drawing since the 1500s; in 1795 Nicolas-Jacques Conté mixed it with clay, so its hardness could be graded.

### [Claude-Louis Desrais](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/claude-louis-desrais)

French, 1746–1816

## Facts

- Type: Drawing
- The artist was 64
- Real size: about 8 × 9 in (21 × 23 cm). The 8 × 10 in print is close to life size.
- Century: 19th century
- Colour: olive
- Rights: public domain (CC0 1.0); free to use for any purpose.

## Get it

- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/1729.jpg?dl=1
- Image: https://img.ochreeditions.com/a/1729/1920.jpg
- Giclée reproduction on Hahnemühle Photo Rag: 8 × 10 in $28; 11 × 14 in $38; 12 × 16 in $42; 16 × 20 in $56; 18 × 24 in $68; 20 × 30 in $86
- Framed reproduction: 8 × 10 in $78; 11 × 14 in $98; 12 × 16 in $108; 16 × 20 in $138; 18 × 24 in $164; 20 × 30 in $208
- Canvas reproduction: 8 × 10 in $58; 11 × 14 in $72; 12 × 16 in $79; 16 × 20 in $98
- Print-ready file: 8 × 10 in $2; 11 × 14 in $2; 12 × 16 in $3; 16 × 20 in $3; 18 × 24 in $3; 20 × 30 in $5

Sizes stop where the museum's file would print below 150 pixels per inch. Everything sold is a reproduction, made to order. [Order a print](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/an-old-woman-spinning-si-chndm-1931-64-204).