Drawing the Male Nude
To paint, draw, or sculpt the human figure is one of the most demanding of artistic problems. At least since Michelangelo, serious artists of the genre have known the value of a clinical study of anatomy. Civardi combines study at the Faculty of Medicine, Milan, with the teaching of sculpture, drawing, and illustration to bring us an excellent trilogy of manuals. The first, on basic human anatomy, begins with the structural characteristics of bones and muscle mass. Hundreds of drawings illustrate both the underlying structure and the exterior of the face, torso, arms, legs, hands, and feet in a wide range of poses, complete with proper scientific terminology. The volumes on the male and female nude explore the artistic possibilities and particular problems of both sexes. The three books are limited in size and limited to the bodies of young, trim Caucasians. Nevertheless, they are a good start and will be useful in most public collections. Academic libraries may prefer Eliot Goldfinger's monumental (and more expensive) single volume, Human Anatomy for Artists: The Elements of Form (Oxford Univ., 1991).Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.