Zittend mannelijk naakt, van opzij gezien, naar rechts 1775 - 1816

Hendrik Lageman created this drawing of a seated male nude, likely in the late 18th or early 19th century, using chalk or graphite on paper. The material is humble, and the mark-making direct. The soft, grainy texture of the chalk allows for subtle gradations of tone, which Lageman uses to model the figure's anatomy. It's clear that the artist was working from life, carefully observing the play of light and shadow on the body. This kind of study was common in academic settings, part of the traditional training of artists. The drawing has a strong emphasis on classical ideals of beauty. But consider the labor involved in producing this image. The grinding of the chalk, the preparation of the paper, the careful observation and rendering of the figure. These are all acts of skilled making. By focusing on the materiality and the making of this drawing, we can appreciate it not just as a representation of an ideal form, but as evidence of the artist's labor and skill, and as a document of the artistic training of its time.