Who painted Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands?

Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands was painted by Thomas Hovenden in 1867.

Where can I see Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands?

Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands is held by Metropolitan Museum of Art.

What movement is Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands?

Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands is associated with Romanticism.

Artwork

Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands

Thomas Hovenden , 1867

Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands is a gouache drawing by the Romanticist artist Thomas Hovenden. It dates from 1867 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

About this work

Overview

Created in 1867, *Sketch of Arm and Sketch of Two Hands* is a preparatory drawing by Thomas Hovenden. Executed in graphite with touches of white gouache on tan wove paper, the work records a female figure’s forearm and two hands in a brief, exploratory manner. It exemplifies the artist’s habit of producing studies that would later inform larger narrative paintings.

Subject & Meaning

The drawing isolates a woman’s bent arm and a pair of hands—one relaxed, the other grasping—capturing a moment of quiet gesture. By focusing on the anatomy and subtle expression of the hands, Hovenden emphasizes the emotive potential of ordinary bodily details, a motif that recurs in his genre and domestic scenes.

Technique & Style

Hovenden employed light, fluid graphite lines to map the contours of the arm and hands, while white gouache supplies soft highlights that suggest the sheen of skin. The tan paper provides a muted ground that enhances the contrast of the drawing’s delicate shading, reinforcing the sketch’s provisional character.

History & Provenance

Thomas Hovenden, an Irish‑born artist who built his career in the United States, was known for historical, domestic, and genre works, often featuring African American subjects. This 1867 study was retained as part of his working material and now belongs to the American Wing collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is displayed as an example of his preparatory process.