Standing Male Draped Figure With His Hands Raised 1565 - 1571

Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo created this drawing of a standing male figure with brown wash, heightened with white gouache over black chalk on gray paper. The neutral tones create a somber, reflective mood, while the figure's dynamic pose and raised hands imply intense emotion. The composition is structured around the interplay of light and shadow, which accentuates the figure's muscular form and the draping fabric. Lomazzo uses line and shade to define the contours and volumes, creating a sense of depth on the flat surface. The figure's contrapposto stance, with weight shifted onto one leg, introduces movement and dynamism, reflecting classical influences but rendered with Mannerist exaggeration. The upward gaze and raised hands might signify supplication, divine inspiration, or perhaps a moment of profound realization. This ambiguity encourages us to consider the figure not just as a physical presence but as a symbolic form, embodying human aspiration and spiritual yearning. The drawing transcends its immediate aesthetic qualities, inviting ongoing interpretations and deeper reflections.