Book Review: Anatomy Lessons From The Great Masters

Anatomy Lessons From The Great Masters is the sequel, sort of, to Drawing Lessons From The Great Masters. Again, 100 pieces of drawings from great masters are selected for analysing.

Compared to Drawing Lesson, this book is much more straightforward. The book is really like an anatomy reference which points you the parts of the body to look for. This pointing and labeling of parts isn't really called analyzing. It lacks the insight that goes into the creative process of these art masters. By comparison Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters really explores the thought process that goes into creating art.

While there are the usual anatomical reference drawings at the back, showing the bones and muscles from from and back views, it's not as comprehensive as other anatomy reference books.

The good thing about this book is of course the figure drawings. Most of them are sketches. It's really inspirational to look at the drawings created around the 15 century by artists like Leonardo Da Vinci, Michelangelo, Rubens, Raphael, and other masters.

This book is not really an essential buy unless you're buying for the drawings.

I prefer Joseph Sheppard's Drawing the Living Figure which features a similar teaching style and has beautiful life drawings.

4 out of 5 stars.

Anatomy Lessons From the Great Masters is available at Amazon (US | CA | UK | DE | FR | IT | ES | JP | CN)

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