Study of a Standing Figure, ca. 1529
Black chalk
11 x 5 1/8 in. (27.9 x 13 cm)
Galleria degli Uffizi, Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe, Florence
Courtesy the Ministero dei beni e delle attività culturali e del turismo
The theatrical pose of this full-length figure almost exactly matches (but in reverse) that of St. Michael in Andrea's altarpiece for the abbey of Vallombrosa (Uffizi, Florence). While the painted saint wears all'antica armor, here the figure dons clothing typical of the 1520s, including a plumed headdress. After studying the figure (probably a studio assistant), Andrea reconsidered the composition: framing lines transform it into a design for a half-length figure, perhaps a portrait.