Studies of two figures pushing against a pillar 

Peter Paul Rubens created this drawing, Studies of two figures pushing against a pillar, using pen and ink. Rubens was a leading figure in the Flemish Baroque style, a movement that placed great emphasis on the perfection of the human form. Rubens’s drawings were often part of a larger workshop practice, where they would have been used to educate artists in the studio. Here, the artist displays a technical understanding of the body in motion. The two central figures push against a large pillar, their muscles tensing and straining, while studies of arms below explore the dynamics of anatomy. The engraving presents this work as part of a numbered collection, giving the image the status of a scientific investigation, as seen in the inscription at the top of the image "Theorie de la Figure Humaine." To understand these images, we can consult handbooks and model books that would have been in circulation at the time. We may also want to consider the politics of the European courts, where many artists were employed in the creation of dynastic portraits.