Seated nude, and the head of a bearded man 1600 - 1649

This drawing of a seated nude figure and a bearded man’s head was made with pen and brown ink on paper by an anonymous artist. The nude form takes on a specific cultural meaning. In European art, the classical nude served as a symbol of ideal beauty and a reference to antiquity, a way to elevate the status of art, and the artist. Drawings of nude figures were an important element of academic training. In the absence of information about its date or origin, it is hard to say whether this drawing was made as a preparatory study for a larger composition, or whether it was produced in an educational context. Art historians consult a wide range of sources to understand the context of an artwork. We can research the artist, the period, and the social conventions that shaped the work. We might ask what function it served, and how its meanings may have changed over time.