Couple of female academics; Italy, 19th century.

Couple of academics; Italy, 19th century.
Pencil on paper.
They present humidities.
Measurements: 68 x 52 cm (x2); 81,5 x 65 cm (frames, x2).
Pair of academics that follow the model of Jacques Louis David's drawings, made by the painter for his painting "The Abduction of the Sabine Women" of 1799, currently in the Louvre Museum in Paris. The figures depicted in the studies show details of the helmets and expressions of the characters, such as that of the woman in the image on the right, who could be Hersilia, the central figure of the painting, trying to stop the feud.
The finishing of the piece to suggest a sketch in preparation for a finished piece, or as visual notes. Studies are often used to understand the issues involved in depicting subject matter and to plan the elements to be used in finished works, such as light, color, form, perspective, and composition. Studies can have more impact than more elaborately planned work because of the new insights the artist gains as he or she explores the subject matter. Such details help reveal the thought processes and techniques of many artists. Studies even date back to the early Italian Renaissance, from where art historians have kept some of Michelangelo's studies.