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François Bonvin

Boy Reading (Jeune Garçon Lisant)

c. 1861
Black chalk, heightened with touches of white chalk, on white laid paper
47.5 × 31.2 cm (18.7 × 12.3 in)

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In the collection of Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago · as of July 2026

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FROM THE ART INSTITUTE OF CHICAGO’S CATALOG

Large-scale monochrome drawings, such as this one, became popular in 19th-century France and were considered finished works in their own right, rather than preparatory studies for paintings. Here, a young boy is lost in contemplation while reading a book. This scene of leisure serves as a counterpoint to Servant Drawing Water from the Fountain (2024.149), which depicts a maid at work.

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