Standing Nude Man (recto); Three Studies of Soldiers (verso)
1550
Medium
Red chalk, highlighted with traces of white gouache (recto); red chalk (verso)
Dimensions
16-9/16 x 11-5/16 in. (42 x 28.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Rogers Fund, 1968
Accession Number
68.113
Tags
Art Historical Context
Taddeo Zuccaro's *Standing Nude Man (o); Three Studies of (verso)*, around 1550, exemplifies the Mannerist draughtsman's skill in anatomical studies during the Italian Renaissance's late phase. On the recto, a male nude stands in a contrapposto pose, evoking classical antiquity while showcasing Zuccaro's interest in dynamic, elongated forms typical of Mannerism. The verso features three vigorous sketches of soldiers, likely preparatory for frescoes or altarpieces, reflecting the era's demand for battle scenes in religious and historical commissions. Rendered in red chalk—a favored medium for ...
About the Artist
Taddeo Zuccaro · 1529–1566
Taddeo Zuccaro, born on September 1, 1529, in Sant'Angelo in Vado within the Duchy of Urbino, emerged from a modest artistic family as the son of the little-known painter Ottaviano Zuccaro, in whose workshop he received his initial training. Encouraged by the local artist Pompeo da Fano, who served briefly as his teacher according to Giorgio Vasari, Taddeo relocated to Rome around age 14, where he...