Although the work of Falguière—a contemporary and competitor of Auguste Rodin—is little known today, he was considered one the greatest sculptors of his time. Portrait of a Young Boy stands out in Falguière’s oeuvre because it seems to be a privately commissioned work by an artist whose private practice is virtually unknown. Additionally, the classical simplicity of this portrait is quite different from his known depictions of children, which typically pictured the subject as tousled, soft-cheeked, and impish. This portrait is based on ancient prototypes such as Roman portraits of Caesar Augustus. The style is static, refined, and classically inspired.