Study for a Male Figure Descending thumbnail 1
Study for a Male Figure Descending thumbnail 2
+1
images
Request to view

This object can be requested via email from the Prints & Drawings Study Room

Image of Gallery in South Kensington

Study for a Male Figure Descending

Drawing
ca. 1613-1614 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Rubens, Peter Paul (artist)
Place of origin
Southern Netherlands (drawn)

Study of a male figure descending

Object details

Category
Drawings
Object type
Drawing
TitleStudy for a Male Figure Descending (published title)
Materials and techniques
Drawing in black chalk, heightened with white, on warm toned paper
Toned Paper
Black Chalk
Drawing (Image-Making)
Heightening
Brief description
Drawing; Study for a Male Figure Descending; by Peter Paul Rubens, Black chalk, heightened with white, on warm toned paper; Flemish School; ca. 1613-1614
Physical description
Study of a male figure descending
Dimensions
  • Height: 481 mm
  • Width: 400mm
Its shape is an irregular octagon.
Style
Flemish School
Production typeUnique
Marks and inscriptions
Inscribed at lower right, in brown ink (with the museum’s Dyce inv. no.), 517.
Gallery label
This drawing is one of many individual studies of the figure that Rubens made. He used them to make subsequent preparatory drawings for larger compositions. Rubens drew his figure studies from live models. They allowed him to refine and improve details like the pose, expression and musculature of the body.
Credit line
Bequeathed by Rev. Alexander Dyce
Object history
Prosper Henry Lankrink (1628–92), London (L. 2090); the Hon. John Spencer (1708–46), Althorp House, Northants; by descent to the Earls of Spencer, Althorp House (L. 1531); Rev. Alexander Dyce (1798–1869), London, by
whom bequeathed to the museum (L. Suppl. 153b), 1869.

This is a possible a study for Mercury descending in 'The Education of Marie de Medici'. It may also have been used for 'The Fall of the Damned' or an avenging angel in 'The Fall of Angels' in Munich.
Subjects depicted
Man
Mercury
Bibliographic references
  • DYCE COLLECTION. A Catalogue of the Paintings, Miniatures, Drawings, Engravings, Rings and Miscellaneous Objects Bequeathed by The Reverend Alexander Dyce. London : South Kensington Museum, 1874.
  • Jane Shoaf Turner and Christopher White, Catalogue of Dutch and Flemish Drawings in the Victoria and Albert Museum (London, 2014), vol. II, cat. 527, pp.453-55
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
DYCE.517

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1069261/study-for-a-male-figure-drawing-rubens-peter-paul/
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest