Crossed Legs of Standing Figure
n.d.
Medium
Charcoal, heightened with white chalk, on blue laid paper
Dimensions
22.2 × 18.3 cm (8 3/4 × 7 1/4 in.)
Classification
charcoal
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
83187
Art Historical Context
John Downman's *Crossed Legs of Standing* is a delicate yet dynamic study from the late 18th century, the artist's keen eye for anatomy and poise. Downman (1750–1824), a British portraitist influenced by masters like Joshua Reynolds and Thomas Gainsborough, often created such preparatory drawings to refine his depictions of the human form. This undated work, housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Prints and Drawings Department, exemplifies his skill in rendering everyday elegance through focused observation. Executed in charcoal heightened with white chalk on blue laid paper—a favored 18th-...
About the Artist
John Downman · 1750–1824
John Downman (1750–1824) was born in Ruabon, near Wrexham, in North Wales. His artistic inclinations proved stronger than any legal ambitions his family held for him, and he began his formal training in Liverpool before enrolling in 1769 among the first intake of students at the newly established Royal Academy Schools in London. There he studied under Benjamin West. In 1773, Downman deepened his e...