Reclining Male Nude Study after de Lairesse German Drawing Manual, ca.1745
€ 340
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Date
1745
Sheet size
37.5 × 24.5 cm (14.8 × 9.6 in)
Condition
Good
Reference
BG-14175-6
Condition
Good antique condition. Light, even age-related toning throughout the sheet. Minor scattered spotting and small stains, mainly in the margins. Some light handling wear and faint creases consistent with age. Margins present.
About this sheet
Reclining Male Nude Study after de Lairesse German Drawing Manual c1745
This elegant academic study of the male nude originates from the German edition of Gérard de Lairesse’s influential drawing manual Principes de dessin, published in the mid-18th century, circa 1745. De Lairesse was one of the most important artistic theorists of the late 17th and early 18th centuries, and his teachings on anatomy, proportion, and classical ideal form shaped academic art education throughout Europe for decades.
The plate depicts a reclining male figure seated on a block, his body leaning back in a relaxed yet structurally complex pose. One arm is raised behind the head while the other rests across the torso, creating a subtle diagonal movement through the composition. The figure’s bent leg and extended foot allow for a detailed study of musculature, balance, and weight distribution, while the drapery introduces contrast and compositional stability.
Executed with refined line engraving and controlled cross-hatching, the figure is rendered with strong anatomical clarity and a convincing sense of volume. Light and shadow are carefully modulated to emphasize the structure of the torso, limbs, and joints, reflecting the academic principles of observation and idealized form central to Enlightenment-era figure drawing. As with other plates from this series, the focus is on artistic anatomy rather than medical illustration.
Plates from the German editions of de Lairesse’s work were widely used in academies and workshops and were often subject to heavy handling, making well-preserved impressions increasingly uncommon. Today, such prints are valued by collectors of academic art, figure studies, and early art education, as well as by interior designers seeking historically grounded works with strong visual presence.
Condition report: Good antique condition. Light, even age-related toning throughout the sheet. Minor scattered spotting and small stains, mainly in the margins. Some light handling wear and faint creases consistent with age. Margins present. The engraved image remains crisp and well-defined. A clear plate mark is visible.
Framing tips: This print frames beautifully in both classic and contemporary interiors. A walnut, ebonized, or black wooden frame with a wide off-white or light grey mat complements the warm tone of the paper and enhances the relaxed yet balanced pose of the figure. Museum glass is recommended for protection and reduced glare.
Technique: Line engraving Maker: After Gérard de Lairesse, from the German edition of Principes de dessin, circa 1745
