Studies of a Fallen Male Nude for ‘Hercules and the Horses of Diomedes’ 1852

This pencil study, "Studies of a Fallen Male Nude for ‘Hercules and the Horses of Diomedes’" by Eugène Delacroix, created in 1852, is a preparatory drawing for the artist’s larger painting. Delacroix was a renowned Romantic painter, and his sketches often display a sense of drama and movement. This study captures the anatomical detail and musculature of a fallen male figure, likely intended for the figure of Diomedes in the painting. These types of studies, known as “études”, were common practice for artists, allowing them to refine their composition before embarking on the final work.