Minneapolis Institute of Art

Crouching Male Nude

Attributed to Francesco Lorenzi

Date

18th century

Medium

Black chalk heightened with white, on laid gray prepared paper

Department

European Art

Institution

Minneapolis Institute of Art

In this lively work, Francesco Lorenzi achieved a forceful plasticity in this figure study, despite remarkably few contour lines. Instead, he created the illusion of volume by modeling the figure's musculature, sensitively applying the chalk to render a range of grays, black shadows, and white highlights on the surface of the body. This effect is further enhanced by the figure's dynamic, three-dimensional pose. Lorenzi's skill led to this sheet being long ascribed to the preeminent master of this type of tonal drawing, Giovanni Battista Piazzetta (1682-1754). Italy, Europe

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