Half-length Portrait of a Seated Woman

Half-length Portrait of a Seated Woman by Charles-Nicolas Cochin: Cochin was one of the great portraitists of the 18th century because he made many…

What to notice

In Half-length Portrait of a Seated Woman by Charles-Nicolas Cochin, start with classical, portrait, figurative. Then look closely at this museum-described detail: Typically, his portrait drawings show the sitter in profile, like a bust on a coin or medal.

Discover

Cochin was one of the great portraitists of the 18th century because he made many drawings of some of the most prominent men and women of his time. Typically, his portrait drawings show the sitter in profile, like a bust on a coin or medal. However, toward the end of his life, he began to favor the half-length format we see here.