Studie til Den sårede Filoktet, samt et par andre studier af nøgne mandsfigurer 1774 - 1775

This drawing, "Study for the Wounded Philoctetes," by Nicolai Abildgaard, presents us with a masterclass in the economy of line and form. Executed in pencil, the sheet captures the artist's exploration of the male nude, focusing intently on anatomical precision and expressive posture. The composition centres on a figure, presumably Philoctetes, hunched over, attending to his wounded foot. Abildgaard’s use of line varies in weight and intensity, giving volume and depth to the figure, while other sketches around the central study suggest a broader investigation of poses and movement. The drawing’s formal qualities evoke a sense of classical restraint, consistent with Abildgaard’s Neoclassical inclinations, as the linear precision and the emphasis on the idealised human form. The unfinished nature of the drawing invites us to consider art as a process rather than a fixed object. The visible layers of lines and corrections reveal the artist's thought process, and the piece invites ongoing interpretation.