Study for Astronomy
circa 1921 Museum of Fine Arts Boston
About this artwork
This graphite drawing is a figure study created by John Singer Sargent in preparation for his mural commission 'Astronomy' for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. The study depicts a nude male model in a seated, introspective pose.
Did you know?
John Singer Sargent was famously reluctant to take on mural commissions, preferring the intimacy of portraiture, yet he spent over a decade working on the monumental decorations for the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. This study reflects the rigorous preparation he undertook, focusing on the human form to represent complex allegorical themes of science and philosophy. It highlights his transition in his later years from the high-society portraitist to a painter interested in classical, symbolic subjects.
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Study for Astronomy
John Singer Sargent, circa 1921
