Seated Male Nude with Raised Right Hand
c. 1845/1850
Medium
graphite with black and white chalk on gray paper
Dimensions
sheet: 55 × 38.2 cm (21 5/8 × 15 1/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Gift of David Alan Brown
Accession Number
2022.150.4
Art Historical Context
Created around 1845–1850, William Linnell’s *Seated Male Nude with Raised Right Hand* exemplifies the careful figure studies that formed the backbone of 19th-century artistic training. Working in graphite with black and white chalk on gray paper, Linnell captures the model’s pose with a sensitive balance of line and tone. The medium allows subtle gradations of light and shadow to model the body’s contours against the colored sheet, giving the figure a convincing sense of volume and presence. At over half a meter tall, the drawing’s scale suggests it was more than a quick sketch—likely a susta...