European artist, Male Nude, 18th century, red, brown, and white chalk on tan laid paper, Cincinnati Art Museum, Gift of Walter Ings Farmer, 1952.364.

Audio Description

This drawing of a Male Nude was made by an unidentified European artist in the eighteenth century. It is drawn in red, brown, and white chalk on tan laid paper and was given to the Cincinnati Art Museum by Walter Ings Farmer. Its accession number is 1952.364.

This large drawing—almost 18 inches in height—of a young, nude, muscular man is rendered in chalk in warm ruddy tones. He is seated on a piece of folded fabric that covers a squarish support, perhaps a box. He is positioned at the right side of the sheet, angled three-quarters toward the viewer and gazing to the left, his head in profile. His left leg is crossed over his right leg, with his left ankle resting over his right knee. His hands are clasped around his left knee. The man’s right leg is extended so his foot is in the lower left corner of the page. His hair is worn loose and somewhat unkempt, feathering down his neck, and he has a wispy beard.

Label Copy

This drawing of a Male Nude was made by an unidentified European artist in the eighteenth century. It is drawn in red, brown, and white chalk on tan laid paper and was given to the Cincinnati Art Museum by Walter Ings Farmer. Its accession number is 1952.364.

This drawing is a figure study of a live model. Artists often used figure studies as a starting point for a larger work, and they were a vital part of an artist’s training. The model’s pose and muscular torso may have been inspired by famous ancient Roman sculptures. In the eighteenth century, producing drawings after sculptures was another common exercise in artistic training.

In 1952, soon after he returned to Cincinnati, Walter Farmer donated fifteen old master drawings to the Cincinnati Art Museum. Although their provenance is not documented, it is possible that Farmer acquired these works while stationed in England during World War II.

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