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Seated Male Nude

c. 1516–1520
(Italian, 1493–1560)
Italy, 16th century
red chalk
Support: Beige(2) laid paper, lined with Japanese paper
Watermarks:
Sheet: 40 x 23.7 cm (15 3/4 x 9 5/16 in.)
John L. Severance Fund 1998.6
Location: not on view
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Bandinelli's drawing of a moody nude combines his knowledge of ancient sculpture and paintings by Michelangelo with observation from life.

Description

Both Baccio Bandinelli and Michelangelo made figure drawing the foundation of their artistic and inventive processes. In this drawing, Bandinelli reimagined one of Michelangelo’s ignudi, the athletic male nudes that decorate the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Probably drawing from a live model, Bandinelli combined controlled, defined lines and smudges to create a massively muscled form, that, like Michelangelo’s figures, refers to ancient sculpture as well as to knowledge of anatomy. His use of red chalk—Michelangelo’s preferred medium for sketching the ignudi—suggests that he sought to compare his own prowess in the medium to that of the better-known master.
Seated Male Nude

Seated Male Nude

c. 1516–1520

Baccio Bandinelli

(Italian, 1493–1560)
Italy, 16th century

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