A Man Seated on the Edge of a Table

18th century

A Man Seated on the Edge of a Table, 18th century. Charles Parrocel (French, 1688–1752). Red chalk; sheet: 42.2 x 22.7 cm (16 5/8 x 8 15/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Muriel Butkin 2017.209 Known for his red chalk studies of cavalry men, this work is characteristic of Parrocel’s drawn oeuvre. Casually seated at the edge of a table with his arms crossed, the man gently smirks at something he sees. His costume suggests that he is a soldier, who has discarded his hat and weapon while he rests from his arduous labor.