Naked male torso seen from behind
Original title: Naked male torso seen from behind
kurzbeschreibung
A male nude seen from behind fills the sheet, etched by Wenceslaus Hollar in 1645 after a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci. The muscular figure stands against a blank ground, so the eye has nowhere to go but the anatomy.
Description
Ribs, shoulder blades and the muscles of the legs stand out sharply. Black-and-white line work dominates the sheet, with almost no tonal shading. The background stays empty and the body claims the entire field; at the bottom runs the inscription 'Leonar: da Vinci inv: W Hollar fecit 1645'.
Context
Hollar was working in Antwerp in 1645, when this etching was made. His source was a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci, which he knew through reproductive prints. Hollar was known for faithful copies after older masters.
Impact
The contour pulls the eye at once along the spine and the muscle groups. The precise linework feels factual and cool, almost like an anatomical teaching plate. With the background left empty, the body reads as an isolated object of study, observed from a distance.
Technique
Etched in a single state. The process allows fine, controlled lines capable of registering muscle structure exactly. The sheet measures 9.1 x 5.2 cm; the upper left and lower right corners are trimmed.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)