Expressive Antique Chalk Portrait of Young Man with Bow Tie low relief carving with one button eye perhaps

with one button eye perhaps reinforced at some point and one light surface scratch to the velvet down his front as documented - minor

with some nice chippy-ness to the white at this point

There are a few small tears in the paper and a bit of wear along the edges

and here a great decorative transfer border on the interior rim as well

Expressive Antique Chalk Portrait of Young Man with Bow Tie low relief carving with one button eye perhapsI've become more and more interested in the history of portraiture and the manners in which changing technologies broadened access to having portraits made of oneself, and shaped the manner of representation. And also in how we have always wanted to enhance images of ourselves! The first charcoal portraits date to the 1860s, and became increasingly popular in the later 1800s photo portraits printed on paper and enhanced with charcoal drawing. This one