Sitting man with his right foot on a chimneypiece. Study for the figure on the recto 1787 - 1790

Editor: Here we have Johann Heinrich Füssli's ink drawing, "Sitting man with his right foot on a chimneypiece," created sometime between 1787 and 1790. The figure appears quite pensive, almost burdened. What stands out to you about this work? Curator: It's a fascinating glimpse into the Romantic era's preoccupation with the male nude, stripped of its classical idealization. Look how Füssli uses these almost frantic, layered lines. The work gains prominence when viewing the art historical narrative. This image and pieces like it shift the view to a time focused on expression. Where idealized form had prominence for centuries, in its stead is anxiety, introspection. The incomplete, almost ghostly figure really underscores this move towards a psychological depth absent in earlier movements. Editor: So, the incomplete nature of the drawing itself speaks to this interiority? Curator: Precisely. Academic art, while valuing skill and draftsmanship, had very particular standards and guidelines rooted in patronage and often moralizing tales. Romanticism offered a break from that didactic purpose. How might a figure like this, presented to the public, challenge prevailing notions of masculinity or the purpose of art? The fact that its study reveals its process gives it even more impact, by highlighting how artistic styles were developed, circulated and became meaningful to their audiences. Editor: I see what you mean. Knowing the cultural context gives the work another voice. So more than just an artistic rendering, it challenged perceptions and highlighted internal and external struggles through the study of style? Curator: Exactly. Understanding the social and institutional forces at play helps us appreciate Füssli's boldness. Editor: This definitely changed my perspective! Curator: Mine, too.