Late 19th C., Part 2 - Studies by Kenyon Cox

Kenyon Cox (1856-1919) was born into a family of Ohio intellectuals and took up art at an early age.  He studied for a year at the Pennsylvania Acacemy of Fine Arts under Thomas Eakins' tutelage before moving to Paris to extend his studies.  He eventually became one of the most influential figures in late 19th and early 20th C. American art, contributing to and teaching in the areas of murals, paintings, illustrations, and mosaics.  He also wrote poetry on the side.  Today we will look at half a dozen of his male nude drawings.  His son Allyn followed in his father's footsteps, and his work has appeared on this blog on several occasions.  This is Kenyon Cox's second series.

 

Academic?

Most of the male nude drawings we have by Kenyon Cox are studies for larger works.

This one, however, has a definite academic feel to it, and it's quite good.

 

Mosaic study

Kenyon Cox got the commission to do a series of mosaic murals in the Wisconsin State Capitol 

depicting arts, sciences, and industries.  This is a study for one of those that I can only describe 

as a heroic nude artist.  Sad to say the final version isn't nearly as nice as this.

Disclosure:  I removed some severe yellowing from this and increased contrast.

 

There's an almost impressionistic feel to this drawing by Kenyon Cox.

Not surprising, given the era in which he did most of his work.

 

Color painting, but still a study

This color painting is listed on a number of art websites as simply "a male study."

I'm speculating here, but I believe it may have been for a patriotic mural that had

some wounded soldiers.  Both Kenyon and Allyn Cox did such works, and would

usually, but not always, put clothes on the final versions.

 

Rare derriere

Neither Kenyon nor his son Allyn Cox did very many derrieres, seemingly preferring to go full frontal with their male nudes.  So much for Victorian prudery.  Those scribbles in the background show up in several of Kenyon's pieces, and for some reason I find them interesting.

 

Almost faceless

Kenyon Cox didn't put a lot of effort into the face of this study for an unknown work.

 

Kenyon Cox, 1856-1919

A couple of weeks ago, I featured some art by Allyn Cox and mentioned that his father was also a well known muralist and painter.  This weeks Friday art features the senior Cox's work, starting with this study for "Science," a mural he installed in the Iowa State Capitol.

This was a study for a large mural done by Kenyon Cox in the Iowa State Capitol.

He placed a strategic ribbon across the crotch in the final version.

Kenyon Cox's ability to excellently represent the 

male form comes through even in this rather rough sketch.

1882 is the date for this Kenyon Cox drawing of an African-American male.  That was the same year he moved from Paris back to New York after studying in Europe for several years.

This undated sketch was donated to a museum by Kenyon Cox's son Allyn,

but their usually well curated website had no information on it other than Allyn's date of donation.

The style appears to be rather modern, suggesting it might have been from late in Kenyon's career.