Sheet of Studies 

John Flaxman made this sheet of studies with pen and ink sometime in his career. The page is filled with multiple sketches of figures, many appearing to be in classical or biblical scenes. Flaxman was working in England, and he was a leading figure in the Neoclassical movement. This can be seen in the classical drapery and the emphasis on line and form in these sketches. The artist was very interested in the purity and simplicity of ancient Greek art. Flaxman was part of a larger cultural movement that sought to revive the ideals of classical antiquity. This movement, with its emphasis on reason, order, and balance, reflected the social and political values of the Enlightenment. Institutions such as the Royal Academy played a key role in shaping artistic tastes and promoting Neoclassicism as the ideal style. Flaxman himself would later become a professor of sculpture at the Royal Academy. Historians look at the artist's letters, and his relationship to the academy in order to contextualize his work. These sources help us understand the historical context of the art.