Nude Man Seated 

Here is a drawing of a seated nude man by Thomas Eakins, an American artist born in 1844. Notice how Eakins employs a monochromatic palette to focus our attention on the structure of the human form. The composition guides your eye through a landscape of light and shadow, revealing the figure's anatomy with precise lines and subtle gradations. The materiality of the pencil on paper allows Eakins to render the texture of skin. The artist's detailed naturalism reflects the late 19th-century fascination with scientific observation. He studied anatomy and used photography to inform his art. Eakins challenged conventional artistic norms through the male nude as a subject for serious artistic study. The drawing is not just a depiction of a body, it is an exploration of form, realism, and the boundaries of representation.