Two naked male figures, apparently studies from Nature, on one leaf,
drawn in red chalk: one with nearly all his back turned to the eye,
rests the left hand on his hip, and with the right points to something
before him. Somewhat behind you see the other, sideways, in perfect
repose, leaning with both hands on a long spear-like staff; the
background has some rudiments of a sketched head. To the right of the
spectator, at the side of the first figure, you read, "1515,
Raffahell di Urbin der so hoch vom Pobst geacht ist gwest, hat diese
nakte Bild gemacht, und hat sy dem Albrecht Dürer gen Nornberg
geschikt, in sein hand zu weissen."[97]
That Raffaello in his last years, and when at the height of his
celebrity, did exchange drawings with Albert Durer, is attested by the
biographers of both: and that the design here described is one of that
number, is incontestably proved, not only by the peculiarity of style,
the elegance and facility of outline, the characteristic contrast of
solid and muscular parts, but by the identity of the handwriting with
the manuscripts of Albert still existing at Nürnberg, his native city.
I therefore think it no improbable conjecture to suppose that Raffaello,
by transmitting this specimen of his hand to Albert, intended to make
him sensible of the difference between imitating Nature and dryly
copying a model, and so impress him with the necessity of contrasting
his outline according to the different texture of the parts in the
bodies before him.
This interesting leaf is one foot three inches three lines in height,
and ten inches eight lines in width, Vienna measure; and in perfect
preservation.