Study for the Muse Urania 1630 - 1665

Michel Dorigny's "Study for the Muse Urania" (1630-1665) is a black chalk drawing depicting a figure study of the Muse Urania, the muse of astronomy. The drawing, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, captures the idealized beauty of the classical muse through a detailed study of the figure’s anatomy, particularly the face and the graceful folds of her drapery. This study likely served as a preparatory drawing for a larger composition, demonstrating the artist's careful approach to depicting the human form.