Adolph von Menzel (1815–1905) is one of the most prolific German artists of the 19th century. Figural studies such as this are very common in his oeuvre. Menzel made them as part of his inventory of motifs and sometimes used them as a basis for his paintings. He paid great attention to the play of light and shadow and sought above all to capture the emotional mood of his models. This magnificent pencil drawing, too, exhibits a striking contrast of light and shade. The female figure is furthermore drawn in an unusual pose and from an unconventional angle. She is represented in rear view, with her hands clasped behind her back and leaning against a wall, and is seen somewhat from below, as if Menzel were kneeling to her left. He shows her lined face, half hidden behind her shoulder, in three-quarter profile. In the lower right-hand corner Menzel has made a separate study of a hand. The signature and date were added by the artist, probably at a later date.