Hermaphrodite by Jacques-Louis David

Hermaphrodite

Jacques-Louis David · 1780

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“This black chalk drawing by Jacques-Louis David offers a serene vision of a reclining figure, showcasing the artist's mastery of classical form and the soft play of light on the human body.”

ABOUT THIS WORK

A figure reclines languidly on a draped bed in this black chalk drawing, their body a study in classical form. The pose, with one arm bent overhead and the other resting on the hip, emphasizes the smooth contours of the torso and limbs. Light falls softly across the figure, highlighting the delicate modeling of the muscles and the gentle curve of the spine. The drapery, rendered with a few deft strokes, creates a sense of volume and depth around the figure, suggesting a luxurious setting without elaborate detail. This drawing, created around 1780, captures a moment of quiet introspection or perhaps a classical ideal of beauty, reflecting the Neoclassical taste of the era that valued classical austerity and heightened feeling over Rococo frivolity.

DETAILS
Artist
Jacques-Louis David
Date
1780
Medium
Black chalk on paper
Location
The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Dimensions
5 1/2 x 8 5/16 in. (14 x 21.1 cm)
Collection
Robert Lehman Collection
Credit line
Robert Lehman Collection, 1975
ART MOVEMENTS
LOOK CLOSER

What to Notice

Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Hermaphrodite
01

The way the light defines the musculature of the torso.

02

The delicate rendering of the hair and facial features.

03

The flowing lines of the drapery around the figure.

04

The subtle shading that creates a sense of three-dimensionality.

AUDIO DEEP DIVE

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THE ARTIST

Jacques-Louis David

1748–1825 · France

David survived revolution, prison, and exile to paint Napoleon's glory — and still died the most influential artist in France.

Read David’s full story
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Beyond David and Academic art: works from the same years, and from the other movements Hermaphrodite belongs to.

Amédée-David, the Comte de Pastoret Same movement · Neoclassicism Amédée-David, the Comte de Pastoret Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres · 1823 · Art Institute of Chicago Louis-Philippe-Joseph, Duke of Orleans 'Philippe Egalité' (1747-1793) (after Sir Joshua Reynolds) Same era · 1760s–1790s Louis-Philippe-Joseph, Duke of Orleans 'Philippe Egalité' (1747-1793) (after Sir Joshua Reynolds) Samuel Drummond · 1785 · National Trust Portrait of a Lady Same era · 1760s–1790s Portrait of a Lady John Smart of Ipswich · 1773 · Yale Center for British Art Portrait of a Man Same era · 1760s–1790s Portrait of a Man Benjamin West · 1790 · Art Institute of Chicago Milton Dictating to His Daughter Same era · 1760s–1790s Milton Dictating to His Daughter Henry Fuseli · 1794 · Art Institute of Chicago Design for a Lampas Silk with a Triumphal Chariot on a Cloud Same era · 1760s–1790s Design for a Lampas Silk with a Triumphal Chariot on a Cloud Philippe de la Salle · 1765 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art Self-Portrait Same era · 1760s–1790s Self-Portrait Francisco Goya · 1783 · Musée des Beaux-Arts d'Agen The Right Honorable Henry Fox, Lord Holland Same era · 1760s–1790s The Right Honorable Henry Fox, Lord Holland William Hogarth · 1782 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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