George Minne (1866-1941): Bronze - Nude Boy with Arms Folded, Dated 1918

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(photograph of the artist...second from the left)

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Auktionscontor Frank Peege, Freiburg, DE has recently listed this small 1918 edition of George Minne's sculpture "Nude Boy With Arms Folded" in their current catalog. If you want more information on George Minne, just search him above within the blog and you will see the Jauary posting about his art.

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19th Century Academie Julien Lithographs: Cours Elementaire

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While we are on the subject of 19th century Atelier drawing courses, a seller on eBay France listed these 19th century lithographs (above and below) this morning which were obviously used as "master drawings" in the Acadamie Julien's training course illustrating the initial line drawing lay in and the finished drawing.
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19th Century Atelier Teaching Process: "Blocking In"

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This morning I ran across a nice series of 19th century academic drawings from an unknown European atelier which demonstrates beautifully the 19th century atelier teaching method of "blocking in," drawing from a master drawing, and drawing from the plaster cast. I think Juliette Aristides describes the process best in chapter one of her book... Classical Drawing Atelier:

"The heart of atelier curriculum is drawing from life and working on individual tailored independent projects. ...... The first year of study also focuses on executing master copies and cast drawings using charcoal or graphite on paper. A master copy is a replica of a noteworthy work of art by a master artist. A cast drawing, or a drawing from a replica of a classical sculpture could be considered a master copy in which students begin to learn how to translate the three dimensions seen by the eye into the two dimensions available on paper or canvas. Both of these exercises offer students a chance to work on an extended drawing without the inherent difficulties of drawing from life, such as the model moving or the pose ending before the completion of the drawing. Both exercises are solitary experiences that require an enormous investment of time and provide a glimpse into what it is like to be an artist in a studio. Students spend at least the first year of their training drawing from life and creating master copies and cast drawing before moving on to painting."

(pg. 10 - 11, chapter one, Classical Drawing Atelier, by Juliette Aristides, ISBN: 978-0-8230-0657-1)
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19th Century Anonymous Belgian School: Nude Ephebe

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This morning I finally negotiated a purchase price with a Brussels Antiques dealer for this beautiful, sensitive academic drawing of a nude ephebe. I am shameless when it comes to approaching a seller on an eBay listing, making them an offer they can't resist unless they specifically prohibit it on their listing. Unfortunately, the drawing is not signed but dates from the late 19th century and is by an unknown artist. It is more a lightly shaded line drawing as opposed to the detailed finished drawing you so often see, but still it is a powerfully rendered study of a young nude boy. If you want to see an active application of a very sensual, almost sexual line, then start at about the level of the model's right ear and let your eye flow along that beautiful line which progresses gently over the scapula, down the back of the rib cage, along the boy's spine, over the hips, and around that almost ninety degree turn of the buttocks, and then down the back side of the boy's right leg. Such a beautiful, poetic execution a single line and of the artist's drawing skills. It will make a nice addition to my collection.
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