Who painted Figure Studies?

Figure Studies was painted by Palma il Giovane in 1588.

Where can I see Figure Studies?

Figure Studies is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is Figure Studies?

Figure Studies is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of Figure Studies?

Museum-quality prints of Figure Studies are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

Figure Studies

Palma il Giovane , 1588

Figure Studies is an ink drawing by the Renaissance artist Palma il Giovane. It dates from 1588 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower right in brown ink: 127; on sheet work is laid down on, lower center in brown ink: Palma Giov.

About this work

Overview

Figure Studies is a drawing executed in 1588 by the Venetian painter Jacopo Palma il Giovane. Rendered with pen and brown ink on blue wove paper, the work exemplifies the artist’s practice of quick, gestural studies of the human form, intended as preparatory material for larger compositions.

Technique & Style

The piece employs a single pen line, laid down in brown ink, to delineate the figure’s contours against a blue paper ground. The contrast between the dark ink and the cool paper surface highlights the immediacy of the gesture, reflecting the late‑Renaissance emphasis on anatomical observation and fluid draftsmanship.

History & Provenance

Created in 1588, the drawing belongs to the early period of Palma il Giovane’s career, when he was consolidating his reputation in Venice. The work has remained in private collections before entering its current institutional setting, where it is displayed as an example of the artist’s preparatory studies.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Palma il Giovane

Iacopo Negretti (1548/50 – 14 October 1628), best known as Jacopo or Giacomo Palma il Giovane or simply Palma Giovane ('Young Palma'), was an Italian painter from Venice and a notable exponent of the Venetian school.