gdz

Hello,
this portrait is one of four studies. I'm pretty sure I photocopied it from a Degas book years ago, but I cannot find any reference to it and noticed that the signature on the bottom does not read Degas. It also doesn't look that much like Degas' style but that doesn't necessarily mean anything.
Can anyone confirm whether this is Degas, if so, what are these studies called and where can I find them and if not identify the artist?
Thanks


EUREKA:
Italian Head, c. 1856

Charcoal, with stumping, heightened with touches of white chalk, on ivory wove paper
384 x 260 mm (sheet, max.)
Inscribed recto, lower right, in graphite: "Rome"
Margaret Day Blake Collection, 1945.37

Eirene

Perhaps I am imagining the resemblance. Do you see a likeness?


Self Portrait


Self Portrait


His Grandfather. Rene-Hillaire De Gas

Unregistered

Hmm...Guess no one see's a resemblance.

gdz

Hey, thank you for your answer, I can see what you mean in the second self portrait, there is some similarity in the depiction of the nose and mouth, but other than that I must admit I don't see any resemblance.

John

This portrait seems more "Romantic" than the cool style of Degas. Looking around, I thought he bore a resemblance to certain self-portraits by Gustave Courbet and Jean-François Millet (note the nose). But their hair, while somewhat wild, is a little too straight. This fellow has an Italian look to me.

gdz

Yes, I agree it has similarity to Courbet and his dramatic/romantic portraits, but I'm pretty sure Courbet isn't the artist. And I also think you're right about the man being Italian, if I remember correctly that is how the pieces are called (head of young Italian man or student).
Here are the other three drawings of the series:

gdz

It is Degas... if anyone is interested, see first post for details.

Unregistered

I'm not a Degas expert but to me it looks like a modern drawing by an art student. Perhaps it's by someone trying to emulate Degas. But it looks modern in its harshness.