Study of a Male Nude Study for "The Death of Seneca"
1838–40
Medium
Graphite on buff Bristol board
Dimensions
12 3/16 x 9 3/16 in. (31 x 23.4 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Robert Lehman Collection
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
Accession Number
1975.1.617
Tags
Art Historical Context
Eugène Delacroix, a towering figure of French Romanticism, created this *Study of a Male N Study for "The Death of"* around 1838–40 as a preparatory drawing for his painting depicting the Roman philosopher Seneca's forced suicide under Emperor Nero. Romantic artists like Delacroix drew inspiration from classical history and literature, infusing them with emotional intensity and dynamic movement. This graphite study on buff Bristol board captures the torsion and musculature of the male figure, evoking the stoic agony of Seneca's final moments as described by Tacitus. Delacroix's masterful use ...
About the Artist
Eugène Delacroix · 1798–1863
Eugène Delacroix (1798–1863) stands as the defining figure of French Romanticism and a pivotal bridge to modernism. Born in Charenton-Saint-Maurice near Paris, he came from distinguished lineage—his mother descended from the prestigious Oeben-Riesener furniture dynasty, while persistent speculation suggested the statesman Talleyrand may have been his biological father, a theory supported by physic...