Verso Study of a reclining River-god

This sketch depicts a muscular man lounging on his side, a traditional pose for personifying bodies of water in classical art. The figure is partially draped with a cloth over his shoulder and legs, with the artist focusing on the anatomical structure of the torso and the relaxed strength of the deity. The head is turned slightly toward the viewer, featuring a thick beard and expressive facial features.

River gods were essential motifs in Renaissance humanism, serving as emblems of the element of water and the geographical order of the natural world. In the Neoplatonic tradition revived by thinkers like Marsilio Ficino, these personifications were viewed as the 'genii' or governing spirits of the terrestrial realm, bridging the gap between physical nature and divine archetypes.