Schets van een mannelijk naakt, van achteren 1848 - 1927

August Allebé made this sketch of a male nude from behind, rendered in delicate pencil strokes. The contrapposto pose, with its shifting of weight and gentle torsion of the torso, echoes classical sculptures of antiquity. This stance is more than mere anatomy, it's a visual echo resonating through centuries, from the Doryphoros of Polykleitos to Michelangelo's David. We find it even in the work of Edgar Degas. Each artist infuses the pose with new meaning, reflecting changing cultural values and aesthetic ideals. The vulnerability of the nude figure, presented from behind, evokes introspection. The sketch, incomplete as it is, invites us to contemplate the passage of time and how the human form continues to inspire and challenge artists across generations, each work speaking to our shared history of art and human experience.