Product 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.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #43122 in Books
• Published on: 2000-10-01
• Released on: 2000-10-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780823002818
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
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Amazon.com Review
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

From Library Journal
It's rare to find good, comprehensive books on drawing the anatomy. Each of these the first, the return of a classic; the second, a focused study; and the third, lessons from the masters deserves a place on library shelves. Bridgman was a legendary teacher at New York's Art Students' League. There, he originated a system of drawing known as "constructive anatomy." In 1952, his seven books on anatomy were gathered into one volume, which became a standard work at art schools and universities. Published now for the first time in paperback, it holds up as an indispensable volume, with more than 200 illustrations of hands and hundreds of images of arms, shoulders, heads, torsos, legs, knees, and feet. Fairley's book concentrates on those troublesome extremities hands and feet. Sketchbook exercises are followed by eight detailed painting demonstrations in watercolor, oil, and other media. Fairley then continues on to portraits in which variations in age, skin tone, composition, mood, and movement are integrated. Advanced students will find Hale and Coyle's Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters a rich source of inspiration. Hale, like Bridgman, was one of the great teachers at the Art Students' League. His student, Coyle, gathered together Hale's famous lectures to produce this compendium. Hale drew on principles found in 100 masterpieces by such artists as Leonardo, Michelangelo, Rubens, Raphael, D?rer, Titian, and Rembrandt. In 1995, Giovanni Civardi's trilogy Drawing Human Anatomy (Sterling, 1995), Drawing the Female Nude (Sterling, 1995), and Drawing the Male Nude (LJ 3/15/96. o.p.) reached a high standard for good, basic books in this genre. These three surpass Civardi's works and are highly recommended for serious artists and comprehensive library collections.
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author
Robert Beverly hale was America's best-known teacher of figure/anatomy drawing during his long years as an instructor at the Art Students League and other fine institutions. The late master also curated American paintings and sculpture for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Terence Coyle, an artist and respected teacher whose work is exhibited often and included in many notable collections, has homes in New York and Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Customer Reviews

Good book, but lacks in the following.
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.

Over-worked pseudo-intellectualized error-packed compendium
This book is best used for viewing its selection of Master Drawings many of which are superb. However, its written text is filled with multitudes of factual errors and pseudo-intellectualizations. It should be noted that this book was not written by Hale; it was written by one of his students and lacks the quality of Hale's classic, "Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters." Instead, this book loses itself in unimportant, erroneous anatomical minutia which will baffle, confuse, frustrate and ultimatly demoralize the motivated reader. It greatly misses the mark in both clarity and presentation of important anatomical theory.

Stop wasting time and buy it!
This is the best book you can find if you want to learn about how to sketch the human figure. Buy it and start copying the sketches inside. Over and over again! Imitating the old masters will teach you things you never dreamed of and will rub off on you when you do your own work. This book has excellent reproductions of 100 super drawings. Each drawing even has accompanying commentary. By the time you're done, you will understand like never before why the drawings work, and you will be able to look at other drawings and understand them better, as well. Stop wasting time reading this review...BUY THE BOOK!