Studies of a Male Nude c. 1550

Giovanni Battista Naldini made this drawing, Studies of a Male Nude, in the 16th century using red chalk on laid paper. The soft, granular nature of the chalk lends itself beautifully to capturing the subtleties of light and shadow on the human form. Naldini coaxes a range of tonalities from the material. Notice how the chalk catches the texture of the paper, creating a sort of visual vibration. Drawings like this were not ends in themselves. In Naldini’s time, they were essential to the production of paintings and sculptures. This sheet is a record of Naldini’s process, a material trace of his intellectual and physical engagement with the subject. It testifies to the labor involved in creating an image, and the skilled traditions that it embodies. Considering the materials and making of this drawing allows us to appreciate its full meaning. It challenges traditional distinctions between "high art" and the craft of drawing, revealing the intricate relationship between concept, process, and form.