Anatomy of Human Figure. A Guide For Artists

In order to convincingly and competently depict a human figure, the artist must know which muscles and bones form the shape of the human body. The ancient Greek and Roman masters, judging by the samples that have survived until our days, knew anatomy perfectly. After a long period of symbolic medieval art interest in anatomy increased during the Renaissance. Artists were tasked with conveying the variety of forms and beauty of the surrounding world. The research in this area had to be renewed. Well known are the anatomical drawings of Antonio Pollaiuolo (1429-1498), Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) and many other Renaissance masters. Of great importance for artists was the publication of De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem, the book on human anatomy by Andreas Vesalius (1514-1564), which was illustrated by Titian's student Jan Steven van Calcar (1499-1546).