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Victor Müller made this drawing of a striding male nude in Paris, likely in the mid-19th century, using graphite on paper. Graphite, though now ubiquitous in pencils, was then valued for its ability to produce fine lines and subtle gradations of tone, perfectly suited for academic figure studies like this. The artist has carefully rendered the play of light and shadow on the figure's musculature, capturing a sense of weight and volume. You can almost feel the texture of the paper, its slight toothiness contrasting with the smooth, polished surface of the body. While appearing spontaneous, this drawing is the result of many hours of labor, and would have served as practice for a larger painting. Consider the social context here, this exercise reflects a formal approach to artmaking, rooted in the traditions of the academy and the expectations for artists to demonstrate mastery of the human form. Yet Müller’s choice of such humble materials reflects a commitment to the fundamentals of art, which still resonates today.