Naked man viewed from behind climbing a river bank, after Michelangelo (ca. 1509)
Original title: Naked man viewed from behind climbing a river bank, after Michelangelo
kurzbeschreibung
Marcantonio Raimondi made this engraving around 1509. It shows a naked man seen from behind, climbing up a rocky riverbank. The source was a drawing by Michelangelo.
Description
The man's strongly defined back muscles tense as he pushes against a boulder at the water's edge; his hair is short and curly. Trees and a small building on a rise fill the background. Fine, precise lines run through the vegetation and ground, as is typical of Renaissance prints. In the lower right are the letters 'IV MI AG FE' and 'AF', likely a signature or date.
Context
Raimondi, an Italian engraver of the Renaissance, was known for his reproductive engravings after great masters. Around 1509 he was working in Rome and engaged closely with Michelangelo. This print derives from a Michelangelo drawing that belonged to a larger project. Through such sheets Michelangelo's works spread across Europe; Raimondi is regarded as a pioneer of graphic reproduction.
Impact
The powerful body and precisely rendered musculature immediately draw the viewer's eye and convey the effort of climbing. The calm landscape behind stands in contrast to the man's dynamic pose and gives the sheet spatial depth.
Technique
For this engraving the lines were cut into the copper plate with a burin. This allowed very fine, controlled hatching to model muscles and vegetation in detail. Printing was done with black ink on paper, producing clear contrast and high precision.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)