Study of Two Heads

Homer Dodge Martin's ink sketches demonstrate the artist's interest in portraiture and character study. The larger head, rendered in three-quarter view with shoulder drapery, shows Martin's attention to facial modeling through cross-hatching. The smaller head study in the upper right employs similar linear techniques. Martin worked in the manner of 17th-century Dutch painter Frans Hals, whose loose brushwork and psychological intensity influenced 19th-century American artists seeking an alternative to academic refinement. These quick studies exemplify the working method of artists who used drawings to develop compositions and explore physiognomy.