Anatomical Studies Of The Bones And Muscles, For The Use Of Artists, From Drawings By The Late John Flaxman, Esq. R.A. Engraved By Henry Landseer; With Two Additional Plates; And Explanatory Notes, By William Robertson.
RA Collection: Book
Record number
Imprint
Physical Description
Contents
Responsibility Note
Each plate carries the publisher's imprint of M.A. Nattali and the date of 1833.
The printer is named on the t.p. verso and in the colophon: 'London: Marchant, Printer, Ingram-Court, Fenchurch-Street.'
The book is dedicated by W. Robertson and M.A. Nattali to Francis Chantrey 'for his valuable advice during the progress of its publication'.
References
Summary Note
In addition to providing annotations for the eighteen plates after Flaxman drawings (pl. 3-20) the anatomist William Robertson contributes two introductory plates of skeletons and écorchés (pl. 1, 2) and a final plate based on a drawing formerly attributed to Michelangelo, now in the British Museum (pl. 21).
In his Preface Robertson addresses the disparity between representing the muscles of a corpse and understanding their functioning in life. 'An intimate knowledge of the human frame in its anatomical structure', he writes, 'is only to be obtained by long and laborious examination, assisted by the use of the knife amid the offensive details of the dissecting room ... [Flaxman] compared the collapsed with the working muscle, and while he drew it in the flaccidity of death, his crayon gave indication of its play and tension in the elasticity of life.' He commends the plates to students as less expensive or complex than those of Vesalius, Albinus and Tortebat.
The 1878 edition of the work describes it as having been 'lately used as a text book of anatomy in the art schools at South Kensington'.
Nineteen drawings relating to the eighteen plates after Flaxman in this work are preserved in the Royal Academy's Prints and Drawings Collection. They were originally bound in Sir Francis Chantrey's dedication copy [i.e. the Library's 'second' copy]), purchased by the Academy in February 1885.
Provenance
[Second copy:] With the verso of the front free-endpaper inscribed in ink 'F. C.' [i.e. Francis Chantrey] and in pencil by a later 19th-century hand: 'Plates on India Paper - not so published - / Dedication Copy. F. C. is Chantrey'. Offered to the RA Librarian, J. E. Hodgson RA, together with 19 of the original drawings for the work, by a 'Mr. Sewening' [?] for 10 guineas [i.e. £10. 10s.]; ordered to be purchased on 24 February 1885 (RA Council Minutes, XVIII, 221).
Binding Note
[Second copy:] 19th-century red morocco, upper and lower covers with gilt-stamped borders; gilt-decorated spine lettered 'Flaxman's Anatomical Studies'.
Name as Subject
Subject
Drawings - Great Britain - 19th century
Manuals - Great Britain - 19th century
Pictorial works - Great Britain - 19th century
Contributors
Henry Landseer, engraver
William Robertson, editor, draughtsman, lithographer
Michael Angelo Nattali, publisher
William Marchant, printer
Sir Francis Chantrey RA, dedicatee, previous owner
Michelangelo Buonarroti, source artist
Clauson, etcher
Jean Graf, lithographic printer
Graf and Saret, lithographic printer
Images from this book
19 results
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawing of the muscles of the lower arm and hand, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawing of the muscles and bones of the lower right leg, 1780s?
Black and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawing of the muscles and tendons of the right arm, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawings of the bones of the ribcage and pelvis, 1780s?
Pen and ink on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawings of the bones, muscles and tendons of the lower leg and foot, 1780s?
Pencil and black chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
A sheet of anatomical drawings of the bones and muscles of the legs, 1780s?
Pencil and black chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawings of the muscles of the legs, 1780s?
Black and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawing of the muscles of the upper leg, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawing of the muscles of the back and right arm, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawings of the bones of the ribcage and vertebrae, 1780s?
Pen and black ink on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Three anatomical drawings of the muscles of the arm and hand, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawings of the muscles of the head, neck and shoulders, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawings of the muscles of the outstretched arm, 1780s?
Pencil, black and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawing of the muscles of the lower leg, 1780s?
Pencil, red and black chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawing of the muscles of the arm and torso shown in profile, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical drawing of the muscles of the lower right leg, shown in profile, 1780s?
Pencil, black and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Drawings of human bones, mainly rib cage and pelvis, 1780s ?
Pen and ink and wash on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical study of the muscles of the right arm and torso, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper
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John Flaxman RA
Anatomical study of the outstretched right arm, 1780s?
Pencil and red chalk on cream laid paper