Mid-Century Pastel and Charcoal Portrait of a Young Boy

This item is a framed original portrait of a young boy, rendered in a mixed media of charcoal and white pastel or chalk on a textured, mid-toned tan paper. The subject is depicted in a three-quarter view with a direct, somber expression, styled with a classic 'mop-top' or pageboy haircut indicative of the mid-20th century. The artist utilized a high-contrast technique, using white highlights to define the shirt's collar and the contours of the face against the natural tone of the support. The drawing is housed under glass within a light wood-tone thin frame and a basic off-white mat. There is visible foxing and light brown staining throughout the matting, particularly along the bottom edge, indicating some environmental exposure or acid-burn from non-archival backing. The paper of the artwork itself appears relatively stable but may have slight tonal shifts at the edges. No signature is clearly visible in the provided image, though one may be present under the mat. The draftsmanship shows a skilled hand in figurative realism, likely dating from the 1960s to 1970s. Overall, the piece represents a sentimental example of domestic portraiture from the period.