A Standing Male Nude

A preparatory pen and ink sketch of a muscular man shown in profile and three-quarter view. The figure appears to be in motion, with heavy hatching lines used to define the muscular structure of the back, legs, and torso. It represents a typical Renaissance artist's study of human anatomy and movement.

This study reflects the Renaissance synthesis of naturalism and Neoplatonism, where the human form was viewed as a 'microcosm' reflecting the divine proportions of the universe. Raphael's work in the Vatican was deeply informed by the intellectual climate of humanism and the search for ideal form.