
Read the visual description
The image shows a reclining human figure drawn with anatomical accuracy. The person is lying on their back, with their torso angled slightly upward and legs bent at the knees. The head is turned away, hiding the facial features. The musculature and contours of the body are detailed with shading, emphasizing the human form. The surroundings include a textured surface, potentially a fabric, adding to the interplay of light and shadow. There are no visible accessories or held objects, and the background has a subtle pattern for a three-dimensional effect.
National Gallery of Art · Print
Academie (639)
Gilles-Antoine Demarteau after Edme Bouchardon
- Date
- c. 1785
- Medium
- chalk manner printed in red on laid paper
- Classification
- Accession number
- 2017.19.46
- Credit line
- Ellwanger/Mescha Collection
- Time span
- 1776 to 1800
- Department
- CG-E
Subjects and terms
- French
- crayon-manner engraving
- nude
- figure
Provenance
(James A. Bergquist, Newton Centre, MA); A. Thompson Ellwanger III and Gregory Mescha, Baltimore, MD; bequest to NGA, 2017.
NGA object ID 129367. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.