Sketches of Six Classical Figures
Medium
Pen and brown ink, over graphite, on cream laid paper, laid down on ivory laid paper
Dimensions
36.4 × 45 cm (14 3/8 × 17 3/4 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
95648
Art Historical Context
Raymond de Lafage’s *Sketches of Six Classical Figures* offers a glimpse into the artist’s working process through its lively arrangement of six draped and posed figures. Rendered in pen and brown ink over faint graphite lines, the drawing captures the fluid movement and sculptural presence of forms that evoke ancient Greek or Roman ideals. The sheet’s generous size and careful mounting on a second layer of ivory paper suggest it was valued as a finished study rather than a quick preliminary note. The choice of medium is especially telling. Pen and ink allow for crisp, expressive contours and...