Two Male Nudes Gesturing in a Landscape
c. 1537
Medium
engraving on laid paper
Dimensions
overall: 27 x 17 cm (10 5/8 x 6 11/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Pepita Milmore Memorial Fund and Edward E. MacCrone Fund
Accession Number
2003.139.1
Art Historical Context
Domenico Beccafumi, a leading Sienese artist of the early 16th century, created *Two Male Nudes Gest in a Landscape* around1537. Working in Siena—a vibrant center of Renaissance art rivaling Florence—Beccumi bridged High Renaissance ideals with emerging Mannerist tendencies. His figures often draw from classical antiquity, emphasizing graceful anatomy and dynamic poses, as seen here in the two nude youths dramatically gesturing amid a stylized natural backdrop. This intimate print, measuring just 27 x 17 cm, invites close contemplation, reflecting the era's fascination with the male form as a ...
About the Artist
Domenico Beccafumi
Italian artist. Comment on works: History