Charles-Nicolas Cochin, after Carle van Loo (Charles André van Loo, 1705–1765) - Nudi maschili

Refined and rare example of French academic graphic art from the eighteenth century. The plate comes from the famous series Six Figures Académiques, conceived for the study of anatomy and chiaroscuro in the art schools of the Ancien Régime. The work unites Carle van Loo’s extraordinary plasticity of drawing with Cochin’s exquisite engraving virtuosity, capable of rendering atmospheric vibrations and sculptural effects through a dense and controlled cross-hatching grid.

The engraving presents a refined monumental scene with two naked male models, caught in an anatomical study set against an atemporal and austere setting, typical of the Academy Royal’s exercises.
• The figure in the foreground (The semi-reclining model):
A man with an athletic and muscular body lies in a pose of dynamic abandonment on a parallelepiped block (perhaps a base or a plinth from the atelier). The left leg is completely extended diagonally toward the lower-left corner of the composition, accentuating the sheet’s depth. The left arm rests firmly on the stone block, supporting the torso, while the right arm falls limply. The face is tilted backward, in a pose that recalls deep sleep or the transition between life and death (evoking the classical iconography of the Deposed Christ or the Barberini Faun).
• The figure in the background (The standing model):
A second man, standing behind the first, leans forward and performs a gesture of torsion and interaction. He places his right hand on the chest of the semi-reclined companion and his left hand on his shoulder, as if to sustain him or examine his pose. This figure shows a strong study of the dorsal musculature and the shoulder in tension, offering the viewer a complementary anatomical viewpoint compared to the foreground body.

The work presents as fresh, well-preserved and with an excellent rendering of the original chiaroscural contrasts.