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Anatomy: the artist concentrating on the study of the living form; anatomical character of the Divine, Heroic and Common Nature: 832/7.f.23

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Object information

Awaiting location update

Titles

Anatomy: the artist concentrating on the study of the living form; anatomical character of the Divine, Heroic and Common Nature
Anatomy: continuation of recto; a note on musculature representation

Maker(s)

Draughtsman: Flaxman, John

Categories

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (1916-12) by Murray, Charles Fairfax

School or Style

British

Materials used in production

Grey ink

Components of the work

Support composed of laid paper
Leaf Height 230 mm Width 169 mm

Techniques used in production

Handwriting : Pen and grey ink on laid paper

Inscription or legends present

  • Text: 14
  • Location: Upper right
  • Method of creation: Grey ink
  • Text: 23
  • Location: Upper right
  • Method of creation: Graphite

Inscription present: the following in grey ink: [i] preceding word crossed through; [ii] preceding word crossed through; [iii] preceding word crossed through; [iv] preceding word crossed through

  • Text: As the Physician and the Surgeon must be / better acquainted with Anatomy than the / painter or Sculptor, we must therefore beleive[sic] / that the artists of the age of Hippocrates / Phidias, Alcamenes, Critias Praxiteles X &c &c / did not excel Hippocrates in this science. / hence it follows that as those Illustrious artists / had not the same[i] advantage of an intimate / knowledge of the muscular forms by means / of dissection in order to produce the eccelent[sic] / works which they have left, they must have / made amends for that defect by a more / diligent study of the living figure under all it's forms & circumstances / assisted by Philosophy & Geometry / In what manner the different Char[ii] Anatomical / Character of the figure was ascertained according to / the gradations of Divine, Heroic, & Common Nature / we may determine by the following observations / In the early productions of Art in every Country / Divinities & men are represented by forms copied from Common / Nature / When[iii] Philosophy afterwards teaches that / supernatural beings shou[iv] should be represented / X Pliny l34: C: 8
  • Location: Recto
  • Method of creation: Grey ink

Inscription present: the following in grey ink: [i] preceding word crossed through; [ii] preceding word crossed through; [iii] preceding four words crossed through; [iv] preceding word crossed through

  • Text: human forms in their perfect simple[i] principles, the divisions / being few, & those, simple[ii] Geometrical figures little / compounded, these simple representations as they / repres express[iii] of first principles express the Ideas of / sublimity & perfection X / Common life must be represented by a faithful representation[iv] copy of Common Nature / Note X In the statue of Apollo Belvidere, the figures / of Monte cavallo the Copy from the Gem of Mercury / in this book, &c the pectoral muscles are of a curve / little compounded, the lines of the ribs almost half / a circle the division of the Abdomenal muscles / by the Linea Albis a perpendicular line intersected / at right angles, the Thigh is little divided the / general form of the knee is nearly an oval, the interior / line of the Tibia from the lower Apophysis[iv] head of the / said bone to the inner Ancle[sic], as nearly a regular curve / of 30 degrees - the Anatomical divisions of figures / in violent action as the Group of the Boxers, the figure commonly called the fighting Gladiator, their / Anatomical forms will be ascertained by subjects of / common nature
  • Location: Verso
  • Method of creation: Grey ink

Identification numbers

Accession number: 832/7.f.23
Primary reference Number: 38592
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Thursday 20 May 2021 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Paintings, Drawings and Prints

Citation for print

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The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Anatomy: the artist concentrating on the study of the living form; anatomical character of the Divine, Heroic and Common Nature" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/38592 Accessed: 2024-12-27 02:30:44

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/38592 |title=Anatomy: the artist concentrating on the study of the living form; anatomical character of the Divine, Heroic and Common Nature |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-27 02:30:44|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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