Charles de La Fosse, born in a family of goldsmiths in Paris, was introduced to painting by his father. He apprenticed with François Chauveau before joining Charles Le Brun's prestigious studio in 1654-1655, where he remained for three years. Under the influence of Le Brun's classicism, he became one of his most renowned disciples. Thanks to his trip to Italy, supported by Louis XIV, he studied the works of the great Italian masters, notably Raphael. Returning to France in 1664, he worked on a number of prestigious projects, including the Palais des Tuileries and the Invalides, and was quickly recognized as one of the most talented painters of his time: he became a member of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculptre in 1673 and a professor in 1674. De La Fosse continued to practice his art until his death in 1716. He spent his last years at the home of collector Pierre Crozat, working with artists of great renown, including Watteau. The present drawing is a preparatory study of a male figure for an unidentified work. This high-quality sheet displays the stylistic characteristics of Charles de la Fosse, in particular the strong hatching, the muscles of the body made visible by the use of light and shadow, and the crumpled drapery with hollows marked by the shadows, in black stone and red chalk.

We wish to thank Dr. Clémentine Gustin-Gomez for having confirmed the attribution of the present drawing to Charles de la Fosse.