Artwork
Man Leaning on a Rail [verso]
![Man Leaning on a Rail [verso], by Matteo Rosselli, chalk, 1614](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/matteo-rosselli--man-leaning-on-a-rail-verso--c9936b6777df930d-w1024.webp)
Man Leaning on a Rail [verso] is a chalk drawing by the Renaissance artist Matteo Rosselli. It dates from 1614 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Man Leaning on a Rail [verso] is a red chalk drawing on laid paper created by Italian artist Matteo Rosselli in 1614. It showcases the artist's skill in figure drawing, a skill that complemented his work on large-scale historical compositions.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a single male figure in a relaxed pose, wearing a hat, jacket, and cloak. His calm facial expression and bent arm resting on a railing convey a sense of serenity.
Technique & Style
Rosselli used red chalk to achieve a sense of depth and texture. The detailed rendering of the railing and clothing creates a lifelike impression, characteristic of his figure drawing skills.
Context
This work is part of Rosselli's oeuvre during the late Counter-Mannerist and early Baroque periods, reflecting his contribution to the artistic developments of that time in Florence.
Artist & collection
Artist
Matteo Rosselli (10 August 1578 – 18 January 1650) was an Italian painter of the late Florentine Counter-Mannerism and early Baroque. He is best known however for his highly populated grand-manner historical paintings.




![Man Playing a Lute [recto], by Matteo Rosselli](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/matteo-rosselli--man-playing-a-lute-recto--ba21023023a336b9-w320.webp)


![Young Woman Kneeling and Reaching Forward [verso], by Charles de La Fosse](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/charles-de-la-fosse--young-woman-kneeling-and-reaching-forward-verso--dad9d34b84dadb6d-w320.webp)




![Hercules Leaning on His Club [recto], by Parri Spinelli](https://artifactworldgallery.com/img/parri-spinelli--hercules-leaning-on-his-club-recto--1ed658247dda4bac-w320.webp)
