<p>In literature, an essay is a name given to a piece of writing in which the author presents their arguments and experiences with regards to a certain topic.</p>
<p>According to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essay#Visual_arts" rel="nofollow noreferrer">this page</a> on the visual arts, the name &quot;essay&quot; is also designated to a preliminary drawing or sketch that forms a basis for a final painting or sculpture.</p>
<p>Although I imagine this may very well be the case, it appears this assertion is not backed up by a reference. I have tried finding such a reference by searching with relevant terms on Google Scholar, but haven't been able to find such a reference over there either.</p>
<p>I therefore wonder whether there are any research papers or other sources where the essay in the visual arts is defined as such.</p>
<p><strong>Question</strong></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Are there any references (academic papers or otherwise) in which the essay is defined as &quot;a preliminary drawing or or sketch forms a basis for a final painting or sculpture&quot; in the context of the visual arts?</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-04T16:28:57.510Z
I may have heard _essay_ used that way back in art school in an 17 or 18 century  treatise on a sculpture. Certainly not in common use. May have better luck in https://english.stackexchange.com/
rebusB
CC BY-SA 4.0
2024-11-04T16:43:21.300Z
I thought maybe it was a language thing as _essay_ derives from Old French for 'to try' but it looks like French for a study done for a painting or sculpture is _equisse_.
rebusB
<sketching><reference>
Reference for the "essay" as a preliminary drawing or sketch in the visual arts
Max Lonysa Muller
# Reference for the "essay" as a preliminary drawing or sketch in the visual arts

(Asked by: username_0 on 2024-10-31)

In literature, an essay is a name given to a piece of writing in which the author presents their arguments and experiences with regards to a certain topic.

According to [this page](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Essay#Visual_arts) on the visual arts, the name "essay" is also designated to a preliminary drawing or sketch that forms a basis for a final painting or sculpture.

Although I imagine this may very well be the case, it appears this assertion is not backed up by a reference. I have tried finding such a reference by searching with relevant terms on Google Scholar, but haven't been able to find such a reference over there either.

I therefore wonder whether there are any research papers or other sources where the essay in the visual arts is defined as such.

**Question**

> Are there any references (academic papers or otherwise) in which the essay is defined as "a preliminary drawing or or sketch forms a basis for a final painting or sculpture" in the context of the visual arts?

**Tags:** sketching, reference

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I may have heard _essay_ used that way back in art school in an 17 or 18 century  treatise on a sculpture. Certainly not in common use. May have better luck in https://english.stackexchange.com/  
> **username_1**: I thought maybe it was a language thing as _essay_ derives from Old French for 'to try' but it looks like French for a study done for a painting or sculpture is _equisse_.  

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## 0 answers

