Artwork
Two Figures Embracing
Two Figures Embracing is a graphite drawing by the Romanticist artist John Flaxman. It dates from 1800 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Two Figures Embracing is a graphite drawing created by John Flaxman in 1800. It exemplifies the artist's characteristic linear style.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts two figures embracing, their forms rendered in loose, sketchy lines. The figures are not clearly defined, giving the scene an informal, spontaneous feel.
Technique & Style
Executed in graphite, the drawing features light, hesitant lines that suggest a rapid, exploratory approach. The style is typical of a study or working drawing, where the artist was testing ideas rather than creating a finished work.
History & Provenance
John Flaxman was an English sculptor and draughtsman influenced by Neoclassicism. His training with Josiah Wedgwood and time in Rome shaped his artistic style, which emphasized clarity and classical form.
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.
Mother and Child (recto)![Sheet of Studies [recto and verso], by John Flaxman](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/john-flaxman--sheet-of-studies-recto-and-verso--e428fab422bf3286-w320.webp)
Sheet of Studies [recto and verso]
Three Groups of Figures (Parents and Children?)
Four Studies of a Seated Woman with Children at Her Feet (Sketches for the Monument to Lady FitzHarris?)
Figure Study
Three Groups of Dancers
Adult and Two Children
An Indian woman holding a child
A Family Addressed by Angels
Two Studies of Standing Figure and Child
Two Groups of Figures
Man and Woman Embracing