Nude and Iris

This academic study by sculptor Solon Borglum combines figure drawing with botanical study. The central nude female form is flanked by two iris flowers rendered with naturalistic detail. Smaller sketches populate the margins—additional figure studies and floral variations exploring proportion and form. The work exemplifies the traditional atelier practice of combining human anatomy with still life, a foundational approach in early twentieth-century art training. Borglum, known primarily for monumental sculpture, here employs drawing as a means of investigation, treating the human body and plant forms with equal technical attention.