Standing Male Nude, Signed H. Desprez (?), Mid 19th Century (circa 1854-55) Pen and Ink Drawing from the Ecole Polytechnique, Paris.

 I spotted this single page pen and ink drawing from student days at the Ecole Polytechnique on eBay France last week and wondered why someone did not snap it up as it sat there for almost a week. The asking price was ridiculously low and being somewhat stretched this month I went ahead and bought it. The drawing has obviously been removed from a larger volume but the identity of the artist remains a mystery. The other drawings included in the listing, which obviously came from the same bound volume ,consisted of landscapes, farm animals, and a few color works of military subjects. Still, it is a nicely executed pen and ink drawing of a standing male nude. École Polytechnique is one of the most prestigious and selective grandes écoles in France. It is a French public institution of higher education and research in Palaiseau, a suburb south of Paris. The school is a constituent member of the Polytechnic Institute of Paris. Enjoy.

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Here is a sampling of the additional drawings by the same artist during the 1854-55 time period: