Studies of Female Nude, Hands, and Male Torso (recto); Landscape (verso)
Medium
Pen and brown ink on paper
Dimensions
sheet: 5 3/8 x 8 1/4 in. (13.7 x 21 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mr. & Mrs. Albert Broccoli, 1979
Accession Number
1979.668.6
Tags
Art Historical Context
Félicien Rops, a pioneering Belgian artist of the 19th century was renowned for his masterful ink drawings that blended eroticism, symbolism, and sharp social commentary. This intimate sheet, *Studies of Female Nude Hands, and Male Tor (recto); Landscape (vers)*, exemplifies his exploratory sketch style. On the front, Rops fluidly captures the human form through quick, expressive studies—a graceful female nude, detailed hands, and a muscular male torso—highlighting his fascination with anatomy and sensuality. The verso features a serene landscape, showcasing the versatility of such preparatory...
About the Artist
Félicien Rops · 1833–1898
Félicien Rops, born Félicien Victor Joseph Rops on July 7, 1833, in Namur, Belgium, to a prosperous textile manufacturing family, displayed prodigious artistic talent from youth. The only child of Nicholas Rops and Sophie Maubile, he received private tutoring until age ten, followed by education at a Jesuit school in Namur (1843–1848), the Athénée Royal de Namur, and the Academy of Fine Arts there...