Youth in an Attitude of Defense 1859 - 1860

This charcoal drawing by Edgar Degas, titled "Youth in an Attitude of Defense," depicts a nude male figure in a defensive posture. The subject is shown in profile, his head turned slightly towards the viewer, his left arm extended and his right hand raised as if to ward off an attack. Degas, renowned for his depictions of dancers and horses, often used life studies to capture the human form in motion. This drawing, created between 1859 and 1860, showcases his masterful handling of charcoal, creating a sense of both dynamism and vulnerability in the figure.