Art Institute of Chicago

Boy Reading

François Bonvin

Date

c. 1861

Medium

Black chalk, heightened with touches of white chalk, on white laid paper

Culture

France

Department

Prints and Drawings

Institution

Art Institute of Chicago

Large-scale monochrome drawings, such as this one, became popular in 19th-century France and were considered finished works in their own right, rather than preparatory studies for paintings. Here, a young boy is lost in contemplation while reading a book. This scene of leisure serves as a counterpoint to Servant Drawing Water from the Fountain (2024.149), which depicts a maid at work.

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