Domenico Morelli

Description

Painter and politician, Domenico Morelli trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Naples. His attraction to the mystical influenced him to approach literary and biblical subjects in a romantic vein. Later, his work became more naturalistic. A prolific draftsman, he executed many preparatory studies. Often a single figure is repeated in countless variations across multiple sheets. The present Study of a Young Woman with Downcast Eyes is executed in pen and ink, the artist’s preferred technique. The subject’s long hair, her large cloak, and her dreamy demeanor, imbue the young girl with a sweet and mysterious expression.