Study of Apollo for "Apollo and the Muses"
1921
charcoal
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1921
charcoal
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
You see a standing figure of Apollo, posed calmly with a gentle expression. He's drawn in charcoal on paper. The detail in his muscles is impressive, and the plain background makes him stand out. This drawing is a study for a larger work, and it shows Sargent's skill with charcoal. He was very good at drawing the human body, and this study shows that. To learn more about this style, look up the technique of cross-hatching.
