Young Woman In Traditional Costume, Charcoal Drawing From Life (1878)

An elegant figure study depicting a young woman in profile, dressed in a finely draped traditional/Oriental costume. Particular attention was paid to the folds of the clothing and the headdress.

Created in charcoal with touches of white lead on colored paper, this work demonstrates an excellent command of academic drawing and chiaroscuro.

Artist’s inscription: "Étude d’après nature – January 1, 1878 – to my dear grandfather"

A touching personal dedication in which the young artist (then twenty-two years old) offers this study from life to his beloved grandfather as a New Year’s gift for 1878.

Henri Coulon (Paris, 1855 – Paris, 1936) was a French painter and lawyer. A versatile artist, he is associated with the painters of the Crozant School and the Creuse Valley. He exhibited at various salons (including the Retrospective of the Independents in 1926), presenting landscapes and genre scenes. This early drawing from 1878 highlights his rigorous academic training and his passion for studying from life.