Art Institute of Chicago

Academic Study of a Reclining Male Nude

François BoucherLinkedCulture matchlcp-5df9b5ab1c88

Date: c. 1750
Medium: Black chalk, with stumping and touches of red chalk, heightened with white chalk, on cream laid paper, laid down on cream laid paper
Culture: France
Department: Prints and Drawings
Institution: Art Institute of Chicago
Object ID: 196175

From the Art Institute of Chicago record

As an influential professor at the Royal Academy, Boucher taught life drawing. A savvy businessman, he realized the potential of producing etchings after his studies from life so that there might be instruction in provincial centers as well. This drawing—a dazzling demonstration of his technique of comingling red, black, and white chalks—was one of those reproduced.

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Provenance & credit

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Credit line: Regenstein Endowment Fund
Provenance: Probably acquired directly from the artist by Jean-Claude Gaspard de Sireul (c. 1710/20–1781), rue Lévêque, Paris (“Le portefeuille de Mr Boucher"); probably sold, Paris, December 3, 1781, no. 219; possibly Mr. Payant [a dealer who purchased several drawings from this sale]. Mme Verger, Dèves Chateau, near Avignon [inscription in pen and brown ink, verso of frame]. Private collection, Avignon, c. 1920–80; given to her nephew, Comte de Chambure, Aix-en-Provence, France, from c. 1985; sold Paris, Hôtel Drouot, October 10, 2000 (as French School, 18th century; no cat.) to Michel Gierzod, Nantes, France, to 2008.