Study of a Nude Woman, Seated Looking to the Right (recto)

This sheet is notable in its presentation of a woman, specifically one of Pierre-Paul Prud’hon’s favorite models, Marguerite—known for her curly hair and striking appearance. Following the artist’s death, more than 100 drawings were discovered in his studio, each portraying a closely studied nude figure like those shown here. The context of these works remains unclear: artists typically sketched from a model early in their training, but Prud’hon did so as a well-established painter. He saw drawing as a solitary practice, working consistently with white and black chalks on a paper described by one critic as “moonlit blue.”

A vertically oriented black and white chalk drawing on blue paper depicts a nude woman with light skin tone sitting on a ledge. Leaning on her right arm, her body angles toward our right. She gazes downward with downcast eyes, her hair gathered in a band. Luminous chalk highlights define her form in contrast with the dense, dark diagonal hatching behind her. Small yellowish-brown spots are scattered across the composition.

Study of a Nude Woman, Seated Looking to the Right (recto)

c. 1810

Pierre-Paul Prud'hon

(French, 1758–1823)

France, 19th century

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