Artwork
Study of a standing female nude
Study of a standing female nude is a drawing by the Impressionist artist William Mulready. It dates from 1851 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum.
About this work
Overview
This 1851 drawing by the British artist William Mulready depicts a standing female nude rendered in a single, swift sketch. The figure is shown in profile, with her back turned to the viewer, one hand placed on the hip and the other hanging loosely. The work is executed on paper and bears the artist’s inscription and date, confirming its purpose as a preparatory study.
Technique & Style
The strokes are brisk, suggesting a focus on capturing the overall gesture and proportion rather than detailed surface texture.
Mulready employed light, fluid lines to outline the body, avoiding dense shading or tonal modeling. The strokes are brisk, suggesting a focus on capturing the overall gesture and proportion rather than detailed surface texture. Around the figure, marginal notes record measurements, indicating a systematic approach to anatomy and scale typical of academic drawing practices in the mid‑nineteenth century.
Subject & Meaning
The nude serves as a study of human form, emphasizing the silhouette and balance of the standing pose. By presenting the figure in a three‑quarter view with minimal detail, Mulready concentrates on the fundamental geometry of the body, a common preparatory step for larger compositions that would later incorporate the figure into narrative or allegorical contexts.
History & Provenance
The drawing is signed and dated by Mulready, an Irish‑born painter active in London, known for genre scenes and illustrations. The dated inscription places the work within his mature period, when he frequently produced anatomical studies for commissions and teaching. Its provenance traces to the artist’s studio inventory before entering a public collection, where it is now catalogued as a study rather than a finished piece.
Context
In the 1850s, academic art training emphasized life drawing and precise measurement of the human body. Mulready’s sketch reflects this pedagogical environment, aligning with contemporary practices at institutions such as the Royal Academy. The inclusion of measurement notes mirrors the analytical approach artists employed to ensure anatomical accuracy before committing to oil paintings or larger works.
Artist & collection
Artist
William Mulready was an Irish genre painter living in London. He is best known for his romanticising depictions of rural scenes, and for creating Mulready stationery letter sheets, issued at the same time as the Penny Black postage stamp.
