A Kneeling Nude Woman with her Left Arm Raised 1518

This is a red chalk drawing by the Italian Renaissance artist Raphael, created in 1518, only two years before his untimely death. It depicts a nude woman kneeling with her left arm raised, possibly in prayer or supplication. Raphael, known for his mastery of the human form and his ability to imbue his subjects with emotion, likely created this drawing as a preparatory study for a larger composition. The study of human anatomy, which Raphael excelled at, was an essential part of High Renaissance art.