Artwork
Standing Woman Leaning on Her Elbow
Standing Woman Leaning on Her Elbow is a chalk drawing by the Impressionist artist French 19th Century. It dates from 1894 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Standing Woman Leaning on Her Elbow is a drawing executed in black and white chalk on gray-blue paper. It depicts a woman in a relaxed pose, with her arm resting on her elbow.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing shows a standing woman with a draped cloth around her legs, her head tilted slightly. The loose, flowing style and soft lines suggest a study or preparatory work rather than a finished piece.
Technique & Style
The artist employed a mixture of black and white chalk to achieve depth and subtlety without detailed rendering. The use of sfumato, a soft blending technique, is evident in the shading that suggests folds in the fabric and curves of the subject's skin.
Context
This drawing is characteristic of 19th-century artistic practice, when sketches were often used to explore ideas before being developed into more finished works.
Artist & collection
Artist
This sculptor liked to keep sharp tools in the studio and blunt ones in his pocket—his niece recalled finding him absentmindedly whittling a stick while talking philosophy.
