Drie vrouwelijke figuren 1780 - 1849

This drawing of three female figures was made by David-Pierre Giottino Humbert de Superville, sometime in the late 18th or early 19th century. Executed in graphite on paper, this work shows an artist working through his ideas. The medium of graphite lends itself to this purpose, allowing for easy corrections and adjustments. Look closely, and you’ll see a grid. This under-drawing is a mechanical aid, a means of proportioning the figures, and transferring them from one scale to another. It’s a method that has been used for centuries, including in workshops, where multiple hands might be involved in the production of a painting or sculpture. Here, however, the grid seems more provisional – the tool of a mind at work. The figures themselves, with their classical drapery, reflect the prevailing Neoclassical style of the period. But the visible process of their creation pulls us into the artist’s studio, reminding us that even the most polished works of art begin with such humble materials and techniques. Appreciating this drawing means understanding the labor and thought that underpin even the most seemingly effortless artistic creations.