A Seated Man

Bernardino Poccetti made a number of individual figure drawings in chalk as studies for painted compositions. This figure was probably intended as a study for a wall fresco. Given the position of the legs and the angle of the man's face and arm, the final work in which he appeared was probably meant to be seen from below.

Poccetti used the white of the paper to create the reflection of light off the man's costume and skin. The delicate contour and line-his chalk barely touched the paper-give the figure an appearance of refinement. Broad modeling, appearing in some areas as quick scribbles across the sheet, flattens the picture and creates a linear pattern across the sheet. Rather than setting the figure of the man off, Poccetti connected it to the background with shading almost entirely surrounding it.