This is a quick copy of one of my favorite drawings of all time, a piece by Jean-Baptiste Greuze. This is one of the drawings featured in Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters, and indelibly stamped on my brain. It’s supposed to be a study for a Roman story about charity and faith to one’s parents. (A version of this story was done excellently by Rubens, see below). However, I’ve always thought it would be better used as a pose for Susannah and the Elders.

Here’s another sketchbook page of copies. This time we have one from Tintoretto, a building from Samuel Chamberlain (perhaps the greatest architectural draftsman ever) and a lovely classical female face from Veronese. Most of the Titian, Tintoretto and Veronese sketches are copied from the catalog for the MFA Boston show of the same name.

Here’s a copy of a great Palma sketch. I love the power and exaggeration in the muscles along the ribcage.

This is a copy of a Hendrik Goltzius drawing from the book Raphael to Renoir. Great pose, but I felt the need to update/correct some of the anatomy and beautify Adonis and Venus.

I’ve been copying works out of several books lately. Mainly just pencil sketches to get a feel for poses and whatnot. The one above is a copy of Titian’s Pope Paul III. More to come tomorrow.