A large charcoal figure drawing notable for the face — a woman seated, the face in three-quarter view at the upper right, and the expression: a smile. Not the full-mirth laugh of the Laughing Man (1200), but a genuine, warm smile — the kind that comes when something pleasant is said or a comfortable moment is simply enjoyed. This face is at ease.
The charcoal builds the face with its characteristic tonal capacity: the brow, the eye socket shadow, the cheek modeled, the smile lines visible. The hair above the face — loose, energetic marks — adds to the impression of movement and informality.
The body below the smiling face is described with the charcoal's gestural directness: the shoulder, the arm, the torso, the hip. The legs extend to the lower left, both feet visible at the lower composition with the characteristic toe attention.
The smiling face in a life drawing — a model who is comfortable enough, or amused enough, to smile during the session — is the most socially relaxed figure in the collection. Most life drawing models hold a studied neutrality; this model has let something through.