Allyn Cox, Part 1 - Drawings

American muralist Allyn Cox left us dozens of male nude drawings, but only a few of the murals and paintings he produced showed unclothed men.  A casual observer might think the nude drawings were academic pieces, but the great majority were studies for his famous murals.  He would draw the men nude on paper and then add clothes when he painted the murals.  I don't know which of his finished works the drawing above relates to, but I like it..

 

Derriere I

This rear view of a lanky model was a study for The Resurrection.

 

Andrew Jackson

Allyn Cox did a ceiling mural on the East Central Portico of the U.S. Capitol showing the inauguration of Andrew Jackson.  As was his usual practice, he made a nude drawing of his subject before painting the actual piece.  I wonder what Old Hickory would have thought of this drawing.

 

Derriere II

Oursecond derriere drawing is quite well formed.

 

Holding a book

I think the model in our last drawing is holding a book . . . or something.

 

Allyn Cox, Part 2 - Color Works

As promised, part two of our Allyn Cox series features works in color.  An online resale site dated this pastel drawing as 1950s, and it recently sold for $2200.  That seems low, but I'm no expert.

 

Diana and Actaeon

This is a detail from the Allyn Cox mural Diana and Actaeon, 

a three panel work at the Dumbarton Oaks Estate in Washington, D.C.

 

1960

This reclining male nude was dated at 1960.

 

Sylvan Deity

I wish I had a date for this Allyn Cox oil on canvas painting called Sylvan Deity.

For some reason it makes me think of Maxfield Parrish.

 

Contemplation 1934

I'm ending the Allyn Cox two-parter with my favorite of the day, Contemplation from 1934.

The color, the pose, and the model are all simply beautiful.

 

Allyn Cox Day

Time for another batch of male nude art by muralist Allyn Cox.

Click on his label at right for more information.

 

Long legs

The legs are striking in this Cox drawing that looks like it could

 have been a study for one of his Masonic Lodge murals.

 

Color and some fur

Allyn Cox managed to give us the model's body hair in this color drawing.

 

Nice derriere

Allyn Cox put a lot of detail shading into this drawing of a man from behind.

 

Duo

I can't figure out what these entwined men are doing.  Any guesses?

 

Classical

Although the model is holding a box, the stance is right out of the Classics.

 

Shading again

This is another Cox drawing where the shading really works.

 

Grant's Tomb Mural Study

This drawing was a study used for mural Allyn Cox painted at Grant's Tomb.

I've looked at his work there and can't find this guy.

 

1945

This unfinished piece was labeled only with the year, 1945.

 

What's he doing

Most of my Allyn Cox drawing do not reference the works they were ultimately used for.

This is one of those where I'd really like to know what the man is doing.