Five Male Nudes Gesticulating as a Nude Woman Enters a Portal
1827
graphite
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1827
graphite
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Five Male Nudes Gesticulating as a Nude Woman Enters a Portal is a 1827 graphite by Theodore M. von Holst, a Romanticism work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This sketch shows a group of five muscular men with arms raised, as if reacting to something. On the left, a long-haired woman in a flowing dress steps forward through a tall, curtain-like opening. The lines are rough and quick, with lots of shading to show movement and muscle. The artist used ink and pencil to create a sense of urgency in the scene. The men’s poses look like they’re shouting or reaching out, while the woman moves calmly into the light. Next, check out the technique: cross-hatching to see how artists build up shading like this.
Theodore M. von Holst (1810–1844) was an artist.
See the richer artist page