Nude 2 

John Singer Sargent produced this charcoal drawing of a male nude, sometime around the turn of the 20th century. As with many academic drawings from this period, it’s likely that this drawing was made in preparation for a painting, or perhaps as a demonstration for his students. In terms of the politics of imagery, what is the public role of a nude? This image, like many academic nudes, is made in the context of the art school. For centuries, academic training was seen as an essential part of becoming a successful artist. From the Renaissance onward, the nude was an important subject of study, representing the pinnacle of artistic skill. For centuries, male students drew from male models. Female students were often excluded, or, if allowed, were not permitted to draw from nude male models, for the sake of propriety. Historical sources such as student memoirs, school records, and instructors’ manuals can shed light on the gendered and often highly regulated, context in which this drawing was produced.