Male Nude 1870 - 1877

This "Male Nude" is a pencil drawing on paper by Walter Shirlaw, an American artist born in Scotland in 1838. Though undated, this piece reflects the academic tradition of studying the human form, deeply rooted in Western art history. The model's pose, with one arm raised and the other resting on a support, is reminiscent of classical sculpture, yet Shirlaw's naturalistic approach brings an individual humanity to the figure. Consider the male gaze inherent in such depictions. What does it mean to present the male body as an object of artistic study? How might our understanding shift if the artist or model were of a different gender or race? Shirlaw’s choice of medium and the intimate scale of the drawing invite a sense of immediacy. Perhaps this piece is a study for a larger, more formal work, or perhaps it is an end in itself – a celebration of the beauty and complexity of the human form.