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Two athletes

Unknown

1650

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Baroque Nude Clothed Male, Naked Female

Dominant colour

Two athletes is a 1650 by Unknown, depicting Clothed Male, Naked Female, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Unknown
When & what style?: 1650
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This drawing shows two men in athletic poses, muscles sharp and balanced. One stands relaxed while the other lifts his arm to throw. The lines are clean and controlled, like they were made fast but never messy. The artist isn’t named, but the style feels close to Nicolas Poussin’s work. Poussin liked stories from old myths and history, even in small sketches. This could’ve been a plan for a carved panel or a wall decoration. Look it up yourself—it’s at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

The story of this work

Overview

This drawing from around 1650 depicts two half-naked male figures, likely athletes, positioned facing each other, possibly as a preparatory study for a sculpted panel or low-relief. The work, once attributed to Nicolas Poussin, is now considered by some scholars to be by a close follower in the style of François Verdier, reflecting Poussin’s influence on Classical and Baroque art. The composition echoes Antique reliefs and vessel ware, emphasizing clarity and fluidity in line, a hallmark of Poussin’s academic approach to figure drawing. The drawing aligns with Poussin’s broader practice of…

Read the full account in the museum source.