ORThe Open Room
Digital gallery
Back to the NGA collection
This is a drawing of a muscular figure standing with crossed arms. The drawing is done in a sketchy, freehand style with visible lines emphasizing the musculature and form of the figure. The perspective is from a low angle. The figure's stance is strong, with one foot placed forward. The background is plain. The use of line work effectively captures the tension and definition of the muscles.
Read the visual description

This is a drawing of a muscular figure standing with crossed arms. The drawing is done in a sketchy, freehand style with visible lines emphasizing the musculature and form of the figure. The perspective is from a low angle. The figure's stance is strong, with one foot placed forward. The background is plain. The use of line work effectively captures the tension and definition of the muscles.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

A Heroic Male Nude

Bertel Thorvaldsen (circle of)

Medium
pen and brown ink on laid paper
Dimensions
sheet: 26 x 18.9 cm (10 1/4 x 7 7/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
2009.70.236
Credit line
Joseph F. McCrindle Collection
Time span
1751 to 1775
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • Male nude
  • Man
Provenance

(Brian Sewell, London, by 1969, as Thorvaldsen); Joseph F. McCrindle [1923-2008], New York, 1969; Joseph F. McCrindle Foundation, 2008; gift to NGA, 2009.

Inscription

by later hand, lower right in graphite (erased): [Not deciphered]

NGA object ID 143855. 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.