Artwork
Group of Figures

Group of Figures is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist John Flaxman. It dates from 1790 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Group of Figures is a graphite drawing created by John Flaxman in 1790. It showcases the artist's characteristic linear style and disciplined approach to form and composition.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts three small figures sitting together, rendered in simple outlines with minimal detail. The loose and quick execution suggests a rough draft or study, rather than a finished work.
Technique & Style
Executed in graphite on pale beige paper, the drawing features light and wobbly lines, with no shading or color. The artist's use of a single medium and straightforward technique emphasizes the figures' contours and basic forms.
History & Provenance
John Flaxman, an English sculptor and draughtsman, created this work after training as a modeller for Josiah Wedgwood's pottery and traveling to Rome, where his distinctive style developed.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Flaxman (6 July 1755 – 7 December 1826) was an English sculptor and draughtsman who was a leading figure in British and European Neoclassicism.









![A Female Nude [verso], by Domenico Tintoretto](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/domenico-tintoretto--a-female-nude-verso--26f16f952b7ade17-w320.webp)





![Sheet of Studies [recto and verso], by John Flaxman](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/john-flaxman--sheet-of-studies-recto-and-verso--acf1b2004c9fc50f-w320.webp)