The artwork, titled “Kneeling Nude Woman,” is credited to the artist Raphael and is estimated to date around circa 1518. It belongs to the High Renaissance art movement and is characterized as a sketch and study. The artwork’s dimensions are 29 cm by 18 cm, and it currently resides in the Scottish National Gallery, located in Edinburgh, UK.
The artwork captures a woman in a kneeling pose, seen in profile with her gaze directed upward, her right arm raised and slightly bent at the elbow, while her left hand appears to convey an action or expression. It is a study of the female form, emphasizing anatomy and musculature that portrays a sense of movement or anticipation. Raphael’s skillful use of hatching and shading adds depth and roundness to the figure’s body, making the composition lively and three-dimensional. The neutral palette consists solely of the toned paper and the material used for sketching, emphasizing form over color. Additional faint sketches visible in the work suggest a dynamic process of creation and adjustment, characteristic of a study. The level of detail and anatomical accuracy demonstrate the artist’s mastery typical of the High Renaissance period when artists pursued idealized naturalism.
