Artwork
Studies of a Male Nude (verso)
Studies of a Male Nude (verso) is a drawing by John Singer Sargent. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Studies of a Male Nude (verso) is a preparatory drawing by John Singer Sargent, created in anticipation of his large-scale painting, Gassed. Executed in pencil or charcoal, the quick, loose sketch captures a male figure from behind, with subtly defined musculature.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a wounded soldier, specifically one who would later be represented in Gassed as bandaged and bent over within a procession of injured men. This subject reflects Sargent's firsthand observations of World War I battlefields in France in 1918.
Technique & Style
Characterized by rapid, expressive lines, the sketch demonstrates Sargent's exploration of chiaroscuro, a technique emphasizing contrasts between light and dark to sculpt the figure's form and prepare for its representation in the final painting.
History & Provenance
Created circa 1918-1919, this study was directly linked to Sargent's commissioned work for the British War Memorial Committee, Gassed, which premiered at the Royal Academy of Art in London in 1919 and is now housed in the Imperial War Museum.
Context
The drawing is situated within the broader context of World War I commemorative art, reflecting the era's somber themes and the artist's response to the war's devastation, as witnessed during his 1918 visit to French battlefields.
Artist & collection
Artist
John Singer Sargent (; January 12, 1856 – April 15, 1925) was an American expatriate artist, considered the "leading portrait painter of his generation" for his evocations of Belle Époque and Edwardian-era luxury.
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