Male Back With a Flag, Chalk drawing in Albertina, Austria
Male Back With a Flag is a chalk drawing held at the Albertina showing a man from behind holding a banner, rendered with careful anatomical detail. The work demonstrates skilled execution through precise shading and the emphasis placed on muscle structure.
Michelangelo drew this chalk study in 1504 as preparation for the fresco Battle of Cascina, a commission for the Palazzo della Signoria in Florence that was never completed. The sheet, 19.6 by 27 centimetres, is now in the Albertina in Vienna.
The drawing represents flag bearers who performed communication functions during Renaissance military operations through coordinated flag movements and signals.
The drawing is sensitive to light and stored under controlled conditions, which may limit its display availability. Visitors should check ahead about viewing periods to ensure the work is on display.
The sheet measures 19.6 by 27 centimetres and is kept in Vienna's Albertina. It is a study for the planned fresco Battle of Cascina, a commission Michelangelo never carried out; the finished mural was to be in the Palazzo della Signoria.
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