Big Sky Fine Art has dated this Academic Male Nude Drawing to the 1800s.
French ( b.1819 - d.1900 ).
Academic Life Study Of A Standing Male Nude.
Pencil & Charcoal On Paper.
Paper size 23.8 inches x 13.6 inches ( 60.5cm x 34.5cm ).
Frame size 28.3 inches x 18.7 inches ( 72cm x 47.5cm ).
The drawing is presented and supplied in a modest hand painted glazed wooden frame dating from the mid-20th century (which is shown in these photographs).
This antique drawing is in good condition, commensurate with its age. It is in an untouched condition having never been restored. The paper has handling marks, some light surface dirt, the odd foxing mark and general age toning. The overall patina adds to the aesthetic and is supplied ready to hang and display.
The drawing is not signed but came from a portfolio of drawings by Henry Arthur Roberts.
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Henry Roberts was born in Paris in 1819, the son and student of British watercolour artist James Roberts. He went on the study with Michel Martin Drölling. He exhibited at the Salon de Paris from 1838-1867. He was awarded several honours for his work as an artist, including becoming a Knight of the Legion of Honour in 1898. His works are held today in several significant public collections, including the Louvre.
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This exceptional academic nude study is an original pencil and charcoal drawing on paper by the renowned French artist Henry Roberts. It was created in the early 1840s, no doubt as part of his training with Drölling.
The artwork depicts a standing male figure, turned slightly to the side with his arms folded, showcasing the artist’s mastery of anatomy, shading, and proportion.
Executed in the École des Beaux-Arts tradition, this drawing highlights the rigorous academic approach to figure study that defined 19th-century French art education. The meticulous rendering of musculature and posture suggests it was likely an exercise in life drawing and classical realism.
Housed in a modest painted wooden frame, the piece retains its historical character, with signs of aging that enhance its authenticity. This work is a valuable acquisition for collectors of 19th-century academic art, French figure studies, and historical nude drawings.
For art historians, collectors, and enthusiasts of classical figurative art, this Henry Roberts charcoal study offers a rare glimpse into the artistic training and techniques of 19th-century France, making it an essential addition to any collection of historical academic drawings.
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Big Sky Fine Art has dated this Academic Male Nude Drawing to the 1800s.
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Henry Arthur Roberts 1819 – 1900. Academic Life Study of a Standing Male Nude. Pre-second Republic French Period. Framed 1840s Drawing.
