Drawing Course Plate 02
1867
Before you can paint a masterpiece, you have to learn to draw a nose—lots of them. This sheet from Charles Bargue’s famous 19th-century drawing course looks like a grid of floating profiles, but it’s actually a masterclass in observation. Notice how the left column uses rigid construction lines to map out the angles, while the columns to the right smooth those angles into elegant, flowing curves of lips and chins. This wasn't just busywork; it was the rigorous training ground for a young Pablo Picasso, who spent months copying these exact plates to master form before revolutionizing modern art.
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