Four drawings: Two Reclining Male Nudes and Two Studies of Ottoman Figures

Théodore Gericault

1816-23 · Pen and ink and watercolor · Drawings and Prints

According to Philippe de Chennevières, the first recorded owner of this sheet, one of Gericault’s contemporaries mounted these four works together. They represent two distinct drawing campaigns. The top two reclining nudes likely relate to his preparation for the "Raft of the Medusa," in which he explored the human form in states of exhaustion and turmoil. The bottom two Orientalist representations of racialized types connect to the artist’s interest in the Ottoman Empire.

Artist

Théodore Gericault

Date

1816-23

Medium

Pen and ink and watercolor

Department

Drawings and Prints

Credit line

Gift of Jill Newhouse, 2022