Seated Academic Nude 1850 - 1860

"Seated Academic Nude" is a pencil drawing by Jules-Élie Delaunay, dating from the 1850s. The work showcases Delaunay's skill in capturing the human form through precise lines and subtle shading. The figure, a seated male nude, is rendered with anatomical accuracy, highlighting the artist's academic training. The simplicity of the composition and the emphasis on the figure's form are characteristic of the academic art style prevalent during the mid-19th century. This drawing, housed at the Art Institute of Chicago, offers a glimpse into the artist's process and the study of the human body that was central to his artistic practice.