Art Institute of Chicago

Academic Study of a Reclining Male Nude

François Boucher

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

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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