Siddende model på plint med pude. Hænderne mødes over venstre lår. Fødderne er krydset 1778 - 1809

This drawing of a seated nude male model was made by an unknown artist, likely in preparation for a larger painting or sculpture. The model’s pose, with his hands clasped over his left thigh and feet crossed, is a classical motif, referencing ancient Greek and Roman sculpture. It would have been made at a time when academies across Europe emphasized the importance of drawing from life. The drawing served as a foundation for mastering the human form. Art academies taught students to idealize the human body, emphasizing anatomical accuracy and proportion. To better understand this drawing, we might research the curriculum of art academies, looking at the ways in which the nude was used to teach artistic principles and social values. Such study reveals much about the role of institutions in shaping artistic production and the social norms they sought to uphold or challenge.