Mandlig model, der ligger støttet på armene og højre knæ, set fra siden og vendt venstre 1833

Christen Købke created this drawing of a male model supported by his arms and right knee in 1833. The limited tonal range, achieved with graphite, invites us to focus on the artist's formal construction. The figure is cropped, heightening the sense of intimacy with the body. Köbke’s delicate handling of light and shadow defines the musculature, drawing our eye across the model’s back and shoulders. The composition, seemingly straightforward, subtly destabilizes conventional notions of the nude. The pose, lacking heroic or mythological attributes, focuses on the human form stripped of idealized grandeur. Köbke's treatment of the human form—its curves, weight, and structure—transcends mere representation. Instead, it becomes an exploration of the very act of seeing and understanding the human body. It encourages us to consider how art, through its formal language, challenges and reshapes our perceptions of beauty, form, and the human condition.