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Sheet of Studies

John Flaxman

1790

graphite

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Romanticism 18th Century

Dominant colour

Sheet of Studies is a 1790 graphite by John Flaxman, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: John Flaxman
When & what style?: 1790 · Romanticism
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This sketchbook page is packed with quick, loose drawings of people in action. Some are walking, others are sitting or lying down, all drawn in a rough, hurried style. The lines are light, almost like doodles, with just a few brown washes in the top corners. The artist seems to have been experimenting with movement and posture, filling every inch of the page. These studies feel more like practice than polished work. Next, check out Romanticism to see how this style shaped art in the 1800s.