Sheet of Studies [recto and verso] 

This sheet of studies by English artist John Flaxman is a collection of pencil sketches, likely created for the artist’s own use as compositional aids. The work is comprised of numerous small drawings of the human figure and other details, all rendered in a loose and gestural style. These studies reveal the artist’s process, demonstrating the way he would have explored various poses and anatomical elements before committing them to more finished works. Flaxman, who is best known for his neoclassical sculptures, would have used sketches such as this to refine his design before moving on to more permanent materials.