Figure Studies [verso]
1948
Image not available — this artwork is under copyright
View on museum website →Medium
black chalk on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 31 x 42 cm (12 3/16 x 16 9/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-W
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of Frank R. and Jeannette H. Eyerly, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art
Accession Number
1990.69.1.b
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the National Gallery of Art's collection, *Figure Studies [verso (1948) by Balthus (Balth Klossowski de Rola) showcases the artist's masterful command of the human form. Created on the reverse side of a sheet—verso drawings often reveal an artist's resourceful experimentation—this black chalk drawing on wove paper measures a modest 31 x 42 cm. Gifted in honor of the museum's 50th anniversary Frank R. and Jeette H. Eyerly, it exemplifies Balthus's post-World War II introspection, a time when he retreated to Switzerland amid Europe's turmoil. Balthus, a enigmatic 20th-century figurat...