Art ANATOMY - Movement, Posture & Gesture

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This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.

The human being always had this fascination for anatomy. Something about portraying movement, gestures and posture have been haunting humans since pre-history time. As time passed, artists prove to have a better understanding of how things work and the form of art they used reflected this knowledge as we reach present time. Some artists did deep studies trying to bring their art form as close to the reality as possible. They used science to come up with a pattern from which they could build anything. Precise measurements, close attention to details common in every body, muscle, body, skin, etc. Studies that helped humans finally understand anatomy of bodies and that is helping us create art in a very modern way. Thanks to the strong foundations left by artists of our past, today we can use those studies to create a different reality.

Studies of Horses' Legs, Leonardo da Vinci, ca. 1490, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
This Da Vinci drawing study show his fascination for movement and anatomy. He drew the same thing from different angles and point of view while giving it as much detail as possible.
Studies of an outstretched arm for the fresco 'The Drunkenness of Noah' in the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo Buonarroti, circa 1508 - 1509, From the collection of: Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen
Michelangelo torso drawing is fantastic for its details. He tries to make it as realistic as possible mimicking the movement of the arm perfectly. Another obsessed for anatomy artist.
Peter Paul Rubens drew his fascination for human body using écorché technique to show in different angles how human body behaves during movement and different posture or gestures.
Anatomical Studies, Domenico Beccafumi, 1485/1551, From the collection of: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Beccafumi Domenico drawing of the arm and leg tells us how artists would proceed prior to start working on their pieces of art. Only one thing in common, perfect human anatomy details.
Superficial anatomy of the shoulder and neck (recto), Leonardo da Vinci, c.1510, From the collection of: Royal Collection Trust, UK
We see here shoulder drawings from different angles along with notes by Da Vinci. The details are amazing. It shows movement, realistic details and excellent human body understanding.
Sheet of Studies [recto], Leonardo da Vinci, probably 1470/1480, From the collection of: National Gallery of Art, Washington DC
Another Da Vinci sketch, this time reflecting aging details and neck rotation. Based on himself, he tries to portray aging of skin and face wrinkles in realistic details. Good anatomy understanding.
Study for an equestrian monument (recto), Leonardo da Vinci, c.1485 - c.1490, From the collection of: Royal Collection Trust, UK
Another horse study by Da Vinci portrays a mounted horse in movement. Raised forefeet, with a slight neck left rotation and strong anatomy details. He seem to make precise calculations for this one.
Mounted Warrior, Leonardo da Vinci (ascribed to), first half of the 16th century, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
Da Vinci sculpture cannot be found because they were destroyed but this one reflects his dramatic lines despite the fact it is not sure who made this mounted bronze warrior and the horse.
Nude Studies, Bartolomeo Passarotti, about 1570–1580, From the collection of: The J. Paul Getty Museum
Despite the fact it is not very realistic, Bartolomeo Passarotti sketch shows good anatomy understanding by drawing the man in the same position but in different angles with great posture details.
recto: Study for the Head of a Soldier in the Battle of Anghiari, Leonardo da Vinci, ca. 1504–1505, From the collection of: Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest
Another study that makes us feel like he photographed this soldier to then start sketching it. The facial expression, the angle, detail and excellent anatomy understanding make this sketch look real.
Credits: All media
This user gallery has been created by an independent third party and may not represent the views of the institutions whose collections include the featured works or of Google Arts & Culture.
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