“Stop to appreciate this intimate graphite drawing, a study of classical form that reveals the artist's keen eye for sculptural beauty and delicate draftsmanship.”
This small graphite drawing, "Sculpture of a Woman," captures a classical female figure, likely a statue, rendered with a delicate touch. The artist uses soft, varied lines to suggest the contours and drapery of the sculpture, giving it a sense of volume despite the simplicity of the medium. You can almost feel the smooth, cool surface of the stone or marble. The way light seems to fall across the figure, highlighting certain planes and casting others into gentle shadow, creates a quiet drama. It's a study that emphasizes form and classical beauty, focusing on the timeless elegance of the sculpted body rather than a specific narrative or setting. The drawing reflects an interest in classical forms and the academic tradition of studying antiquity.
- Artist
- John Singer Sargent
- Date
- 1885
- Medium
- Graphite on off-white wove paper
- Location
- The Metropolitan Museum of Art
- Dimensions
- 6 5/16 x 3 5/8 in. (16 x 9.2 cm)
- Collection
- The American Wing
- Culture
- American
- Credit line
- Gift of Mrs. Francis Ormond, 1950
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

Observe the delicate shading that defines the figure's form.
Notice the subtle lines suggesting the drapery and folds of cloth.
See how the light appears to fall from the upper left, creating soft shadows.
Look at the precise yet fluid outlines of the figure.
1 more detail is waiting.
See all 5 in Art Whisper →Stand in front of it and listen
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John Singer Sargent
1856–1925 · United StatesThe man who painted 900 oils and 2,000 watercolors once caused a Paris scandal with a single bare shoulder.
Further Works by Sargent
Mountain View at Bormio (from Switzerland 1869 Sketchbook)
1869 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
House and Courtyard
1895 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sellar Alp, Dolomites
1913 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Sirmione
1913 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Man and Trees, Florida
1917 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Entombment
1874 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Head of a Man
1874 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Fishermen with Nets
1875 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
More from Tonalism
More works to explore
Beyond Sargent and Tonalism: works from the same years.
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Cart with Red and White Ox
Vincent van Gogh · 1884 · Kröller-Müller Museum
Same era · 1870s–1900s
A Sunday on La Grande Jatte — 1884
Okada Saburosuke · 1884 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Madame Léon Clapisson
Léon-Victor Dupré · 1883 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Paris Street; Rainy Day
Kawabata Gyokushō · 1877 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Still Life with Crayfish
Mikhail Larionov · 1900 · Museum Ludwig
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Evening Primroses in a Vase
Paul Gauguin · 1885
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Forêt de Compiègne
Berthe Morisot · 1885 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Studies of Pierre Renoir; His Mother, Aline Charigot; Nudes; and Landscape
Pierre-Auguste Renoir · 1885 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
The Sick Child
Edvard Munch · 1885 · National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Bordighera
Claude Monet · 1884 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Cows Drinking at a Pool
William Hart · 1886 · Museum of Fine Arts Boston
Same era · 1870s–1900s
Albert (René) Grenier (1858–1925)
Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec · 1887 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art

