Study for Astyanax’s Nurse

Pierre Paul Prud'hon French

Not on view

This drawing is a study for The Met's painting, Andromache and Astyanax, begun by Prud’hon in 1813 as a commission for Empress Marie-Louise. Left incomplete at the artist’s death in 1823, the canvas would be completed by his student, Charles Boulanger de Boisfremont (1773-1838). Quickly sketched in black and white chalk on blue paper, the study depicts Astyanax’s nurse, who, in the painting, sits in the right foreground facing Andromache, her arms extended towards her ward. Executed quickly, with brusque, energetic strokes, it intermixes parallel hatching in black and white chalk to effective model the heavy folds of the drapery and the highlights on the arms and face.

Study for Astyanax’s Nurse, Pierre Paul Prud'hon (French, Cluny 1758–1823 Paris), Black and white chalk, with stumping, on blue paper

This image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.