En siddende ung kvinde med en stående nøgen dreng, der rækker sin ene arm i vejret 1743 - 1809

Nicolai Abildgaard created this drawing of a seated young woman with a standing nude boy, who is reaching up with one arm, using pen and brown ink. The composition, sketched with minimal detail, presents forms that appear to emerge from and recede back into the paper. The work challenges traditional academic figure studies. Abildgaard's lines are economic, yet suggestive, rendering human forms with an emphasis on their structural essence rather than surface detail. The arm raised disruptively towards the sky invites contemplation on gesture and intent within a field of classical artistic codes. The rapid, expressive lines and ambiguous setting suggest a work rooted more in conceptual exploration than formal representation. This challenges our notions of finish and completeness. It invites us to consider the process of creation, making this artwork an exercise in open-ended artistic and philosophical inquiry.