Spanish school; end of the 19th century.

Spanish school; late 19th century.
"Female nude".
Charcoal on paper.
Measurements: 26 x 21 cm; 45 x 40 cm (frame).
The academic drawings have meant a turning point in the trajectory of the great painters. The careful study of the anatomy, features and posture of the represented became a key element to understand the basic precepts of the pictorial discipline. In fact, institutions such as the Academy of Fine Arts of San Fernando incorporated in their teaching program the copy of the live model in oil. The painting in question is an example of this practice. Studies are often used to understand the problems involved in depicting subjects 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. 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.