Female Nude Reclining 1800

Pierre-Paul Prud'hon made this drawing of a reclining nude, sometime between the late 18th and early 19th century, using black and white chalk on blue paper. The drawing’s material is quite traditional. Yet consider the way Prud'hon employs it: the chalk is rubbed, almost like dust, into the surface of the paper, coaxing an image into existence. It's not about outlining the form with strong edges but breathing it into life through gradations of light and shadow. You can almost feel the artist's hand at work, blending the chalk to create a soft, sensual effect. Prud'hon’s skill is evident in the way he coaxes the chalk to mimic skin, to capture the way light plays over the contours of the body. But he is also interested in a kind of idealization, an idea of beauty that is also an idea of work, and the ways in which bodies can be put to use in the service of art. In understanding this drawing, it is important to look beyond its aesthetic appeal and recognize the labor involved in its production and reception, and the artist’s mastery of materials.