Seated Nude

Seated Nude is a seminal early drawing by Édouard Manet French, 1832-1883, executed between 1858 and 1860. Classified as a drawing, this powerful study utilizes red chalk applied expertly to buff laid paper. The medium lends itself to the rapid capture of form and contour, demonstrating Manet's fluency in traditional academic techniques before his modernist breakthroughs. The figure is shown seated, likely a model captured in a studio setting with directness and immediacy. During this formative period, the French artist was deeply engaged with the study of the human form, a rigorous practice demanded by the Parisian art establishment and essential preparation for the large-scale oil compositions that would later challenge artistic conventions. This work reveals the foundation of Manet’s draughtsmanship upon which his revolutionary style was built.

Dating from the late 1850s, this piece offers crucial insight into the training that shaped Manet’s innovative approach to representation. Unlike the highly idealized figures favored by the Academy, the nude rendered in this study possesses a palpable realism. Manet used drawing as a fundamental tool for observation, a common practice central to the culture of 19th-century France. The clarity and strength of the chalk lines define the volume and weight of the subject, establishing a dialogue between tradition and the emerging modern aesthetic. While the original drawing resides in the esteemed permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, early studies such as this are often made available for scholarly reference, and high-quality prints and reproductions are frequently found in public domain archives, ensuring wide accessibility to the foundations of Manet's art.