Artwork
Studies of Figures

Studies of Figures is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist James Goodwyn Clonney. It dates from 1840 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Studies of Figures is a graphite drawing on wove paper created by James Goodwyn Clonney around 1840.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts everyday people and explores their relationships, often featuring interactions between individuals of different racial backgrounds as equals, reflecting Clonney's interest in social themes.
Technique & Style
Executed in graphite, the work showcases Clonney's skill in a medium suited to his characteristic small-scale, detailed style, often used in his miniature paintings.
Context
Clonney's work was influenced by his interest in rural subjects and the social dynamics of his time, including the relationships between people of different backgrounds.
Artist & collection
Artist
James Goodwyn Clonney (28 December 1812, Liverpool (?) – 7 October 1867, Binghamton, NY) was an English-born American genre painter and lithographer.








![Two Heads; Studies of Sheep [recto], by Paul Gauguin](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/paul-gauguin--two-heads-studies-of-sheep-recto--d045b25e15a504f5-w320.webp)
![Studies of a Woman and Her Dress [verso], by Perry, Enoch Wood, Jr.](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/perry-enoch-wood-jr--studies-of-a-woman-and-her-dress-verso--abf8075589814203-w320.webp)
![Two Head Studies and a Crouching Nude Woman; Two Women's Heads and a Head of Child [recto], by Paul Gauguin](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/paul-gauguin--two-head-studies-and-a-crouching-nude-woman-two-women-s-head--fe3fee334eaa34d1-w320.webp)







![Figure Studies [verso], by Thomas Sully](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/thomas-sully--figure-studies-verso--951eb42592bb5e4f-w320.webp)
![Studies of Dogs and Men [verso], by James Goodwyn Clonney](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/james-goodwyn-clonney--studies-of-dogs-and-men-verso--b7671b05c83592d2-w320.webp)