Study: A pair of hands, crossed
1750â1775
Medium
figures
Classification
figures
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors
Accession Number
1901-39-2746
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, *Study: A Pair of Hands, Crossed* is a delicate preparatory sketch from 1750–1775, created by an unknown artist. Acquired through museum purchase with gifts from various donors, this work falls under the museum's Smithsonian Collection of figures. Its classification as a figure study underscores its role as a focused exercise in observation, capturing the intimate anatomy and gesture of intertwined hands. Created during America's Colonial era, this piece reflects the period's growing interest in artistic training amid European influences like ne...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...