Object of the Day: An Antique Pencil Drawing

A pensive woman sits at a table, reading a book with which she is utterly engrossed. She rests her body against her folded arms, unaware that her hair has become loose on one side. Who she is, we don’t know. What she’s reading, only she knows. Yet, there she sits—for over a century, enrapt in her book.

This antique drawing is something of a mystery. Her costume suggests that this work of pencil on paper dates to the early 1900’s. The provenance is murky. When purchased, I was told it was French in origin, however, I am more inclined to assign it to the hand of an English artist. Her collar and scarf seem more the outfit of a working-class Englishwoman than that of a French woman of the period.

Someone took the time to frame this drawing with a large, dramatic mat. Clearly this sketch meant something to someone. It is unsigned and undated—at least evidently. I am hesitant to remove it from its frame to check for more information since it has remained undisturbed—still backed in the original framer’s paper.

Regardless of her provenance, she’s a lovely figure. The lines of the drawing are free and filled with life. I don’t care who she is or where she comes from. The simple fact that she still exists is enough for me.