Figure Disrobing

Auguste Rodin

1900–1910 · Graphite · Drawings and Prints

From the mid-1890s, Rodin turned his attention to the live model and adopted a new approach to drawing. He became interested in the unconscious movements that his sitters assumed in between traditional poses. The artist tried sketching without looking at the paper in order to keep his gaze fixed on the model. The results contain inevitable distortions and often exceed the bounds of the sheet. Nevertheless, through the simplest graphic means, he captured the dynamism of the body. Here, the concentration of swift graphite marks conveys the gathering pleats of fabric and the upward motion of the model lifting the chemise over her head.

Artist

Auguste Rodin

Date

1900–1910

Medium

Graphite

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

John Stewart Kennedy Fund, 1910