Study of a Male Youth (Académie d'homme), 1906

Charcoal on paper

Signed, dated, and inscribed on the reverse lower right: Robert Pouilleute / 2 Juillet 06

Dimensions: Height 32 × Width 24 cm (12.6 × 9.4 in)

This intimate charcoal study depicts a three-quarter torso view of a young male model, capturing a quiet, reflective moment in the artist's studio. Executed with soft, expressive hatchings and fluid contours, the drawing highlights the delicate muscular structure of the youth's chest, arm, and profile. The work exemplifies the académie tradition, a core practice in French art education where artists refined their command of human anatomy through direct observation of live models.

Notably, the sheet presents a double-sided composition (recto/verso). The reverse side features a fully realized, signed portrait of a uniformed or jacketed gentleman with a moustache, dated July 2, 1906. This dual-sided drawing provides a rare glimpse into Pouilleute’s studio practice, showing how paper sheets were economically reused for both formal portrait studies and life drawing exercises. The classicizing beauty and sensitive draftsmanship make this sheet a compelling example of early 20th-century French figurative art.