Statue of a Male Nude with Hand on Hip

The drawing depicts a nude male form with one hand placed on the hip, a pose that emphasizes anatomical clarity and balanced proportion. By referencing the language of ancient statuary, Robert engages with the academic tradition of studying the ideal human body as a vehicle for exploring timeless aesthetic principles.

Rendered in graphite, the piece relies on delicate hatching and cross‑hatching to model volume and suggest the texture of stone. The laid‑paper support contributes a subtle tonal quality, while the overall composition reflects the Romantic era’s fascination with classical motifs combined with a personal, observational approach.

Created between 1754 and 1765, the drawing belongs to the early phase of Robert’s career, before he became renowned for capriccio landscapes populated with ruins. Its survival on paper indicates it may have served as a study or preparatory sketch for a larger work or as a teaching exercise in academic drawing.

During the mid‑18th century, French academies emphasized the study of the nude as a foundational exercise for artists. Robert’s choice of a solitary classical figure aligns with contemporary pedagogical practices and reflects the broader Romantic interest in revisiting antiquity while infusing it with personal imagination.