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‘A Man Holding an Écorché Statuette’ Oil on canvas Italian, late 18th–early 19th century RRa0090 / 44581i Wellcome Library
Although the term ‘écorché’ was not introduced until the nineteenth century, models revealing human muscle structure were used in art teaching from the 1700s. The flayed statuette held by this artist is based on a much-reproduced model by Italian painter and architect Ludovico Cigoli, known as il Cardi (1559– 1613).
RIGHT: Écorché with raised left arm Red-chalk drawing After Ludovico Cigoli, 17th century 38055i Wellcome Library
Read
Petherbridge D, Jordanova L. The Quick and the Dead: Artists and anatomy. Berkeley: University of California Press; 1997.
Wallace M, Kemp M. Spectacular Bodies: The art and science of the human body from Leonardo to now. London: Hayward Gallery; 2001.