Seated Male Nude with Outstretched Left Arm n.d.

This drawing, “Seated Male Nude with Outstretched Left Arm,” now at the Art Institute of Chicago, presents a study of the male form rendered in pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk. Notice the striking contrast between the delicate, almost tentative, lines defining the contours of the figure and the broad strokes of the wash that model the musculature. This tension between line and volume, contour and mass, animates the composition, endowing the figure with a dynamic energy. The outstretched arm and contorted pose suggest a figure caught in motion, perhaps an athlete or warrior poised for action. The artist’s use of hatching and cross-hatching to create areas of shadow and light not only serves to define the three-dimensional form, but also contributes to the overall sense of drama and intensity. It is in the formal qualities of line and light that this drawing communicates its aesthetic power.