Staand mannelijk naakt met een doek, van voren 1765 - 1781

Jean Grandjean made this drawing of a standing nude man with chalk. Classical nudes like this were common in the 18th century, particularly in academic settings. Grandjean was a French painter and draughtsman who spent time in Rome, and he was known for his classical subject matter. The nude was considered an essential subject for artists in training, allowing them to master anatomy, proportion, and the idealization of the human form. In France at this time, the Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture played a central role in dictating artistic standards and providing instruction. The nude was a staple of academic art, reflecting a broader cultural interest in classical antiquity and its aesthetic values. Drawings like these could be preparatory studies for larger paintings or independent works of art in their own right. Understanding the context in which art is made requires looking into these institutions, understanding their values, and recognizing that art always speaks to social and cultural conditions.