Nude Study of 'Comedy' for Headband

This preparatory sketch by American muralist and illustrator Kenyon Cox depicts a classical female figure personifying Comedy, holding a mask—an allegorical attribute of theatrical tradition. Cox drew extensively from live models and classical sources for his decorative and architectural commissions. The grid overlay indicates this study served as a transfer drawing for a larger work, likely an ornamental headband or decorative border element. The confident ink line and anatomical precision reflect academic training methods that dominated American fine arts instruction in the late nineteenth century, particularly at institutions like the Art Students League where Cox taught.