French Romantic School Of The 19th Century, Study Of A Half-naked Young Man, Pencil On Paper

French Romantic School
Study a young man naked
Pencil on paper
43 x 51.5 cm
Framed : 56.5 x 67 cm
Good, fresh condition, slight signs of creasing in the upper part; a slight stain on the lower left

Although the artist of this study is currently unknown, stylistically it can be dated to the first half of the 19th century.
The pose of this naked young man is reminiscent of Saint John the Baptist in the Desert, and in particular his posture and the fact that he is holding a staff are reminiscent of other works on this subject.
The memory of Caravaggio's interpretation of the theme naturally comes to mind.
It is worth noting that the figure's head, full of life even though it appears lowered, has all the aspects of a portrait. The hairstyle and beard are reminiscent of figures from the period in which this work was created. It could therefore be a study based on a live model to whom the artist wanted to give the features of Saint John the Baptist. 
It is entirely in the spirit of Romantic art to depict a figure from Holy History in the guise of a contemporary.