Study of Drapery for 'Fortune'

Elihu Vedder's preparatory study demonstrates the academic tradition underlying American illustration at the turn of the twentieth century. These anatomical and drapery studies—executed in black chalk and white heightening on toned paper—served as working drawings for larger compositions. The careful rendering of fabric folds and the human form reflects the classical training that informed commercial and fine art practice during this period, when illustration occupied a prestigious position in American visual culture before the rise of photography.