En muskuløs mand bærer et afpillet lig 1550 - 1600

This drawing, held at the SMK in Copenhagen, features a muscular man carrying a limp figure, and was made by an anonymous artist using pen and brown ink. The cultural context for this piece lies in the artistic traditions of the Renaissance, where the male nude was studied for its aesthetic and expressive potential. Images of powerful men carrying the dead echo classical antiquity, where such scenes were found on sarcophagi and in epic poetry. Artists across Europe took inspiration from these images, making sketches and drawings that showed the ideal male form as strong, beautiful, and capable of great feats. In the Italian Renaissance, these works were displayed in academies where young artists were trained to master the art of representation. To understand this piece further, we might look into the history of artistic training and anatomy, along with the meanings associated with masculine strength in Renaissance society. By examining the social conditions in which this drawing was made, we can appreciate its role in shaping perceptions of the body.