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Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters provides an anatomical counterpart to Robert Beverly Hale's classic reference book, Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters. Terence Coyle, who for several years assisted Hale at the Art Students League of New York, kept detailed notes of Hale's lectures and teaching methods. He combined these notes with 100 drawings to illustrate how the great masters portrayed specific parts of the human physique. As Hale points out, master artists such as Rembrandt, Leonardo, and Raphael "absorbed the technical details of anatomy so well that these details could be set down instinctively.... If an artist has to occupy his mind with the task of clumsily grouping the elemental facts of anatomy as he draws, there can be little room left for really important matters--such as the spirit of the drawing and the artist's expressive intent." Coyle provides several examples within the study of each anatomical area to illustrate the variety of styles and methods employed by the masters. The book treats, in order, the rib cage, the pelvis and thigh, the knee and lower leg, the foot, the shoulder girdle, the arm, the hand, and the neck and head. A complete series of anatomical reference plates by Dr. Paul Richer is included. By applying the timeless anatomical principles the great masters have handed down to us, any artist can begin to acquire the means by which to express the "really important matters." --Mary Ribesky
Book Description
This classic book, whose foremost author was one of the great artistic anatomy teachers of the twentieth century, is an invaluable instructor and reference guide for any professional, amateur, or student artist who depicts the human form. Revealing the drawing principles behind one hundred inspiring masterpieces, the book presents work by Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rubens, Raphael, Titian, Rembrandt, and other greats. These superb portrayers of figures knew that the secret of drawing them was seeing how underlying bone and muscle structures mold the body's surface forms. Readers are shown how to learn from these great examples as the authors guide them through all the steps they would take in a life class or studio working with live models.
Customer Reviews:
Good for Antamoy References.......2007-05-13
I will just say that this is very helpful for reference to specific part of the human anatomy. Especially the skeletal and muscular diagrams at the back of the book.
Good book.......2006-11-23
for us amateaur artists who want inspiration to create great works of art. This book shows the details of the human body and how great artists drew from live and dead bodies as they create the greatest masterpieces in art history.
Practice practice practice.......2006-01-20
I took an art class at the junior college and the instructor suggested copying the masters to improve drawing skills. I bought this book and copied every picture. Not only did it familiarize me with many artists I had not heard of but, over time my drawing skills improved dramatically. I am now buying collections of drawings of other artists and copying. I highly recommend the book not only as a reference but also to be used to improve skills. I have an engineering background, not art and this helped immensely.
Good book, but lacks in the following........2004-01-07
Pick up this book if you are looking for a great artistic anatomy reference book. If you are looking for more than reference, however, you might want to look elsewhere. While this book is definitely good, it doesn't give the artist direction in how to draw or depict the illustrations. The text is pretty much straight-forward, usually only noting the parts of the bodies in the images. Second, this book lacks the poetic and great writing of Robert Beverly Hale.
Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters is more of an extra reference book or a supplement to Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters. In that book, Hale really teaches to the reader whats needed to depict anatomy, what steps the artist must take, gives tips on how to become a great or accomplished artist, why the artists of the past were so good, what mistakes beginners of figure drawing usually make, and sooooo much more. It's pretty much an incredible book to have even if you're not into figure drawing.
I think Anatomy Lessons would probably be more highly regarded in my eyes had Drawing Lessons been nonexistent. Anatomy Lessons is great for further reference, if thats what you're looking for though. I probably wouldn't recommend anyone to buy this book unless you already own or have thoroughly read and studied Drawing Lessons by the Great Masters.
Excellent content.......2002-09-29
An excellent book on artistic anatomy. Reading this one book has taught me more than some figure drawing classes. A systematic deconstruction of how the masters of artistic anatomy have integrated their knowledge into some of the greatest drawings of all time. The book goes through the drawings of famous artists, categorized by the region of the body on which the drawings are focused, and attempts to explain how extensive knowledge of anatomy has been effectively applied. It touches on how these artists could create drawings which are more powerful than merely a photographic rendering of the model through their use of anatomy.
Unfortunately, the book is very cheaply bound. Entire leaves have detached themselves from the spine, though I have treated the book very well. My copy has turned into a stack of paper and scotch tape, wrapped loosely in its former cover. Despite that fact, I still consider it worth the purchase.
I have both this book and "Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters." Both are excellent books, but if you must only buy one, get this one. It is the better of the two.
Book Description
Greek and Roman art methods, medieval techniques, tempera painting, van Eyck's revolutionary use of oil paints, Flemish methods of preparing colors, methods of 18th-century British artists, technical secrets of Italian schools, including such masters as Leonardo, Raphael, Correggio, Andrea del Sarto, and more.
Customer Reviews:
Why me?.......2007-09-27
It took me several days to bull through the first 50 pages. I found out that must cultures used some sort of "drying oil" -- linseed or other for oil painting. This discovery astounded me so much, that Ii have been unable to continue reading. Perhaps the people who gave it a high rating could tell me something to encourage further reading.
By the way this system won't let me give this book a zero star rating.
Unless you're an art scholar, don't bother........2007-09-04
Out of the thousands of dollars I've spent on art books over the years to understand and improve my knowledge as a realist artist, this has to be the only one I've ever bought so far that I found completly useless.
If you want to impress another artist, sure, hit them over the head with it. But apart from that I can't really see the point of it being marketed to modern day artists. Written in 1847 with language to match, it just simply describes what most realist artists can usually figure out for themselves by looking at the pictures. And come to much clearer conclusions. Something that your average artist without a generous income and the time to travel round europe during that time period probably couldn't do. Hence the reason I imagine, this book was written.
As a teaching aid for your modern day realist artist, in my opinion forget it. If you want a book this thick and scholastic that will actually help you, get Ralph Mayers 'The Artist's Handbook of Materials & Techniques' instead.
Beware of impressive, studious sounding reviews - I'm sorry I wasted my money on it.
An important source for painters.......2007-05-14
A seminal work - referred to by authorities (Ralph mayer, etc) on painting technique. A must have if you're interested in painting technique throught the centuries.
Excellent but might not be the whole story.......2006-12-06
My initial reaction on receiving this book was "Bloody hell is it big enough!?" At 1024 pages you're certainly getting a lot of information for your buck.
Eastlake (1793-1865) was a former president of the British Royal Academy, director of the National Gallery, and in his day an major expert on painting techniques. Do note the book was first published in 1847, hence the writing style can be somewhat turbid. Perseverance pays with there being more information in here than you can shake a stick at.
My comment about caution is based upon recent studies of old master paintings. The old masters would typically have a team of apprentices working alongside them, mixing paint, painting parts of the painting that the master was probably too bored to bother with (as well as good training for the apprentice) etc. The Master/Apprentice setup allowed for a continuous stream of knowledge being passed along the generations. However as oil paint technology advanced, in particular the ability to buy premixed paints off the shelf, the painter no longer needed a team of apprentices. He could pretty much get by on his own. Hence there was no longer anyone for the painter to pass on his knowledge to. This resulted in a considerable amount of technical knowledge being lost. (A good example is the recent theory promulgated by David Hockney that the old masters were able to paint such realistic paintings as they used rudimentary projection techniques to place a guide image on the canvas, overwhich they painted. No one knows if he is right or wrong).
From the 1800's on, technical experts such as Eastlake and Max Doerner ("The Materials of the Artist") began to impart their wisdom on how the old master paintings were created. But the techniques thay had available were very rudimentary, more often than not being a case of the expert trying to reproduce a certain style and looking at the painting surface close up. The experts proferred their theories and techniques, often with much aplomb leaving no room for doubt. Unfortunately they were often quite off the mark - they could emulate a style somewhat but never 100%. There are too many variables involved even for a discerning eye. It has only been with recent advances in scientific analysis, chemical and visual, that a truer understanding of the old master technique is finally being determined. Van Wettering's excellent "Rembrandt - the painter at work" book details the findings of extensive research carried out on a number of paintings considered to have been painted by Rembrandt. The book is 340 pages, and they still haven't got all the answers. But what they have done is to throw in to doubt the theories and techniques of the 19th/20th C experts.
There is a welter of information in this book, but if you are trying to perfectly replicate a certain old master painterly technique, and failing to do so, then be warned the experts might not be such experts afterall.
All said and done, I do recommend this book for the wealth of information it contains. Numerous recipes for mediums, varnishes etc. along with many techniques that it lends itself to study in its own right. Dover books have once again provided an excellent product at an excellent price.
For true artists.......2006-02-03
Okay...the title is a little bit misleading but truth be said....its not a difficult book for the Artist who knows what he or she is at and its certainly not for the hobbiest who would be lost with this book.This for me is a great book as it has enrichened me....information is always good.
Book Description
An entertaining, informative, and inspirational look at the greatest women artists of all time! The latest entry in the new Great Masters of Art series, Great Women Masters of Art is an affordable, easy-to-use guide featuring the life and work of the greatest women painters of Western art-from the 15th century to the present day. Legendary women painters of each key historical movement are included, such as Sofonisba Anguissola, Artemisia Gentileschi, Judith Leyster, Mary Cassatt, Georgia O'Keeffe, Gwen John, Frida Kahlo, and dozens more. Each artist is represented by several impressive reproductions of her most significant works, alongside a biographical timeline and brief history of her life and career. Every dazzling, full-color reproduction includes cultural and aesthetic discussions about the individual painting. Plus, entertaining anecdotes and stories bring each woman's inspirations, circumstances, and creative genius to life. This one-stop guide is appealing, compact, lavishly illustrated, and conveniently organized for fast and easy use. Great Women Masters of Art is an enjoyable trip for all.
Customer Reviews:
Worth Its Weight in Gold!.......2006-10-25
This book is one in a finely done current art series, and every volume is a beauty! This one, "Great Women Masters" may be the best, since a large number of the artists here are not well known. Sure, there are Cassett, O'Keefe, and a few other very famous names, but perhaps the best descriptions and paintings are by pre-20th Century Artists,some from the 1500's,and especially some English Pre-Raphaelites. There are many,many color reproductions, descriptions of the lives of the artists, even very small color pictures at the book page corners, all which makes this a very special series, this being my favorite. Also, the size is rectangular and portable, not too heavy..All in all, just about perfect!
Customer Reviews:
Brushstrokes: close-up and personal.......2006-09-07
Other reviewers have given this book five stars and rightly so but I thought they didn't quite reveal how good it is.
Don't be put of by the words Great Masters in the title, it actually covers artists from the Old Masters (1300-1860) Impressionists (1860-1905) and Modern Masters (1905-1980). A hundred paintings, in color, from seventy-seven artists are considered and each work gets the same treatment, for instance Roy Lichtenstein's 'Whaam!' gets two spreads. The first page has a small photo of the artist and about three hundred words regarding his painting technique, this text relates to seven small line drawings and captions revealing how he worked. The right-hand page has a picture of Whaam! and a preparatory black and white drawing, both have long captions. The next spread has four life size details of the painting (each with a simple thumbnail of the work to show where the detail comes from) and again long captions explaining techniques and the materials used.
It is the life size illustrations that, to me, make this book special. There are plenty of visual art history books, my favorites are the Phaidon series: The Art Book, The 20TH Century Art Book and The American Art Book, all bursting with whole page works of art but it is only when you can see a lifesize close-up of the work (plus a detailed caption) that things somehow start to fall into place and a greater appreciation is acquired. There is something special in looking at part of Henri Rousseau's 'The Dream' or Frank Stella's 'Hyena Stomp' and knowing that you're seeing part of the painting the same size as these artists created it.
Apart from looking at art techniques (and history) in a rather unusual way another reason I love this book is because it is beautifully designed and printed. You can use it as a reference work or just browse through some stunning paintings and understand them and their creators more.
BTW It originally came out in 1985 and it seems there are various reprints so I think it's worth checking the page numbers to see that you buy the complete book. This edition has 541 pages plus another eighteen unnumbered pages at the back. There are three sections to the book (Old Masters, Impressionists and Modern Masters) and I believe each section has been published as a single book.
***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.
Buy it.......2004-05-25
This is one of the most exciting books on the history of art in combination with the technique of great masters that you can come across. Richly illustrated and covering a wide range of artists, this book does not merely give a biography of the artist and an example of his works. Its attraction lies in the fact that one painting of each artist is analysed in detail including sequence of painting, materials and techniques used from the start to finish with some good close-ups and analysis. This is a rare book which brings actual clarity to the reader who may be eager to learn as to how certain effects were achieved by many masters, while at no time erasing the mystique associated with the masterpieces. It has the potential to greatly accelerate the learning curve of an intermediate painter while remaining of value even to the pro. Rich, stimulating, good value for money and a treat in all respects, this book will be near the top of the chart of your favorites in its category, if not numero uno.
Good companion to Gardner.......2003-09-21
This book looks at art history from the point of view of the practicing artist instead of the art historian. As such, it is an excellent companion to books such as Gardner's "Art Through the Ages". Very good read.
Why aren't there more books like this!?.......2002-08-13
This is a superb book, well laid-out, with many excellent reproductions and an informed text. In a perfect world, there would be many books like this, not just a few.
A MUST-HAVE book.......1999-12-05
Here is a book for the serious art student as well as the accomplished artist. Had this book been available when I was in art school, I know my development would have been much easier and faster. I gain much from it every time I study this book , which is quite often.
Book Description
This unique paint-by-number guide teaches you how to recreate beautiful masterpieces by artists from Botticelli to Whistler. This innovative course guides you from a template to the finished piece, providing techniques and tips along the way. Perfect for both beginners and experienced painters.
Customer Reviews:
Not what I expected/wanted.......2007-06-29
I don't know about others, but the "paint-by-numbers" that I grew up with involves an actual canvas & paint. Neither of those elements are in this book. The book...which is what it is, not a kit of any sort...is simply a book about painting. It includes the diagrams that you can copy onto a canvas, but that's it. It was not what I wanted when I ordered something involving paint-by-numbers & I promply sent it back.
great do-it-yourself art.......2006-07-09
It has always been my dream to paint a painting that people could actually look at with pleasure. I found this book, and now my walls are filling up with wonderful paintings I did myself! Not only are the instructions easy to follow, but the techniques can be applied to copy paintings other than the ones in the book. I just finished my own copy of THE STARRY NIGHT using these techniques, and it looks great! I recommend this book to anyone who always wanted to paint but never thought she could.
Not your mother's paint-by-number.......2004-04-13
I just got this book and I can't wait to get my brushes dipping into paint. There are 30 masterpiece paintings in this book. From Botticelli to Whistler, with Renoir, Degas, Van Gogh, Klimt, Modigliani, etc. in between. All with directions, step by step photos, supply and palette lists, glossery and basic information on techniques. It is written for the Acrylic painter with some gouache, watercolor and pastel information for converting. It is not your old fashioned paint-by-number. These paintings have much more blending so that they look like the originals. What a hoot to paint your own version of the masterpieces.
Book Description
The triumphs and tragedies of Rembrandt's life are reflected in the humanity and emotion of his work. Discover the profound storytelling skills of the greatest Dutch master of the 17th century, and witness his extraordinary ability to capture the spirit of life in his art. The DK ArtBook series presents both the life and works of each artist within the cultural, social, and political context of their time. To make the books easy to consult, they are divided into three areas -- the life and works of the artist, historical and cultural background, and analysis of major works -- which are identifiable by side bands. Each spread focuses on a specific theme, with an introductory text and several annotated illustrations. Few art history texts contain such abundance of full-color illustrations. The index section is also illustrated and gives background information on key figures and the location of the artist's works.
Average customer rating:
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Bacon (Great Modern Masters)
Francis Bacon
Manufacturer: Abradale/Abrams
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ASIN: 0810946750 |
Customer Reviews:
beautiful, expressive figuratives........2002-12-01
Born in 1401 at San Giovanni Valdarno, Masaccio moved to Florence when he was 16, and by 19 was already becoming known for his painting.
His first surviving known painting, from 1422, the San Giovenale Triptych, is shown as a whole, and in detail. The harmony between the figures, and the glorious colors, make this a spectacular Madonna and Child, flanked on each side by two saints and an angel.
Masaccio worked with Masolino and Filippino Lippi on the frescoes from the Brancacci Chapel, and the work of all three artists is shown in this book.
My favorite piece is part of the Pisa Polyptych, the "Adoration of the Magi". The delicacy and loveliness of the composition, especially the expressive beauty of the four horses, make this a piece for all to admire and for art students to study.
There is an emotional intensity in his figuratives; in the "Expulsion from the Garden of Eden" one can see Adam and Eve's agony and shame on their faces, and his Jesus in "Tribute Money" is strong and manly.
Masaccio died at the young age of 27, in Rome, as he had just started the Santa Maria Magiore Polyptych; the fresco was finished by his former collaborator, Masolino, and is the final full sized plate in the book.
Well written and researched (with many quotes from Vasari) by Ornella Casazza, this 1997 edition, printed in Italy on thick, glossy paper, has 35 full sized richly colored plates, and many more smaller ones. Great for Masaccio fans, and lovers of this magnificent era of Italian art.
Customer Reviews:
THIS IS A BOOK TO STUDY !.......2002-09-11
Reading this is a must for any artist .
What can I say but I was told to read this and am so glad I was. Some of the best advise I ever got .
TO read the book and what is in it !
Mondrian (GREAT Modern Masters Series).......2000-03-28
This would be biography of Mondrian provides quite a bit of insight into the artist himself. A attention keeping book, this one gives insight to one of the great abstract expressionists.
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