Seated Male Nude

Description

Both Baccio Bandinelli and Michelangelo made figure drawing the foundation of their artistic and inventive processes. In this drawing, Bandinelli reimagined one of Michelangelo’s ignudi, the athletic male nudes that decorate the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Probably drawing from a live model, Bandinelli combined controlled, defined lines and smudges to create a massively muscled form, that, like Michelangelo’s figures, refers to ancient sculpture as well as to knowledge of anatomy. His use of red chalk—Michelangelo’s preferred medium for sketching the ignudi—suggests that he sought to compare his own prowess in the medium to that of the better-known master.

Provenance

Sotheby's, New York, 1 December 1964, lot 170 (as Rosso Fiorentino) (1964); with Hans Calmann, London, and W. H. Schab, New York; Christie's, London, 8 December 1987, lot 72 (1987); Private Collection, New York; Sotheby's, New York, 28 January 1998, lot 69 (bought in) (1998); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1998)

Seated Male Nude

Baccio Bandinelli

c. 1516–20

Accession Number

1998.6

Medium

red chalk

Dimensions

Sheet: 40 x 23.7 cm (15 3/4 x 9 5/16 in.)

Classification

Drawing

Museum

The Cleveland Museum of Art

Cleveland, United States

Credit Line

John L. Severance Fund