Study Models of Parts of the Body by Johan Gregor van der Schardt

Study Models of Parts of the Body c. 1560 - 1570

3d sculpting

natural shape and form

sculptural image

possibly oil pastel

portrait head and shoulder

underpainting

mid-section and head portrait

animal drawing portrait

watercolour illustration

watercolor

"Study Models of Parts of the Body" is a series of anatomical studies by Johan Gregor van der Schardt, created in the late 16th century. This particular study, located in the Rijksmuseum, is a small terracotta model of a male arm, sculpted in meticulous detail. This piece, alongside the others in the series, was likely intended as a study aid for artists seeking to depict the human form accurately. The detailed musculature and anatomical precision of the work demonstrate the Renaissance era's renewed interest in scientific observation and the revival of classical ideals.

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rijksmuseum over 1 year ago

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This group of small models of parts of the body are carefully copied after famous sculptures, in particular by Michelangelo, in Florence and Rome. They came from the workshop of the Nijmegen sculptor Johan Gregor van der Schardt, who had a successful career in Italy, Nuremberg, and Copenhagen. They are extremely rare examples of the, in part autograph, study material of a 16th-century sculptor.