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

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

hand rendered

3d sculpting

hand-rendered

natural shape and form

sculptural image

possibly oil pastel

underpainting

detailed observational sketch

curved shape

curved surface

Johan Gregor van der Schardt's "Study Models of Parts of the Body" is a terracotta sculpture from the late 16th century. The sculpture, currently housed at the Rijksmuseum, is a detailed study of a male thigh, capturing the musculature and form with anatomical accuracy. This type of anatomical study was common during the Renaissance, as artists sought to understand the human body in detail for their art. The realism and attention to detail in this study model highlight the growing interest in scientific observation and the application of this knowledge to artistic practice.

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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.