This sketch by Clarence Gagnon, titled Étude de Nus, is a warm, intimate figure study executed in a soft reddish brown chalk on textured paper. The composition brings together several rapid studies of the human form: a standing nude seen from the side on the left, a fuller rear view on the right, and two smaller head studies placed between them.

The figures are rendered with economical, confident lines that prioritize mass and rhythm over detail. Gagnon focuses on the natural curve of the spine, the weight through the hips, and the gentle asymmetry of the human body at rest. The modelling is subtle, relying on light pressure and smudged passages rather than heavy contour, giving the forms a sense of volume without rigidity.

The paper’s warm tone plays an active role, allowing the drawing to feel atmospheric and informal, very much a working study rather than a finished academic exercise. Overall, the sketch reflects Gagnon’s sensitivity to line and form, and shows the same observational discipline that underpins his more polished paintings, while offering a rare, direct glimpse into his studio practice.