# Portrait of a Man in a Military Uniform

**Unknown artist**  
18th century  
black, blue, and red chalk heightened with white on laid paper  
overall (oval): 19.3 x 15.9 cm (7 5/8 x 6 1/4 in.)

Courtesy National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1970.17.152. [The museum's record](https://www.nga.gov/collection/art-object-page.52296.html).

## About this work

An unrecorded French artist drew this in 18th century. It is now at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

### What you’re looking at

The image displays an oval portrait of a man's upper torso. He is turned slightly to the right, looking directly at the viewer with a composed expression. The man has pale skin, defined facial features, softly arched eyebrows, a subtle mustache, and styled hair in an 18th-century fashion. He wears a blue coat with white lapels, silver buttons, and a silver-fringed epaulet on the shoulder, along with a cravat and waistcoat. The background is a smooth, neutral gray.

_Description from the National Gallery of Art._

### 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.
- **Laid paper.** Handmade on a mould of close-set wires, which leave fine parallel lines you can see when the sheet is held to the light.

## Facts

- Type: Drawing
- Culture: French
- Real size: about 7½ × 6½ in (19 × 16 cm). The original is small: even the 8 × 10 in print shows it larger than life.
- Century: 17th century
- Movement: [Baroque](https://www.ochreeditions.com/movements/baroque)
- Subjects: male, Officer
- Colour: white
- Rights: public domain (CC0 1.0); free to use for any purpose.

## Get it

- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/1554.jpg?dl=1
- Image: https://img.ochreeditions.com/a/1554/1920.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; 24 × 36 in $108
- 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; 24 × 36 in $258
- Canvas reproduction: 8 × 10 in $58; 11 × 14 in $72; 12 × 16 in $79; 16 × 20 in $98; 18 × 24 in $118; 20 × 30 in $148
- 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; 24 × 36 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/portrait-of-a-man-in-a-military-uniform-nga-52296).