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Wikimedia Commons · Public domain · Hover to magnify, click for fullscreen
Original fileThis pen-and-ink drawing is a study of the human form, emphasizing the musculature of the back, shoulders, and arms. The figure is positioned in a strained, asymmetrical pose, leaning on one arm while the other is extended as if grasping a staff or reaching for a ledge.
This drawing reflects the Renaissance investigation of human anatomy as a manifestation of Neoplatonic ideals, where the body is viewed as a microcosm of universal order and divine proportion. Such studies were foundational for Raphael’s larger works, such as the Vatican frescoes, which integrated physical naturalism with philosophical and theological themes.
Leon Battista Alberti
Raphael's anatomical studies apply the principles of proportion and movement described in Alberti's 'De pictura'.
Marsilio Ficino
Reflects the Neoplatonic view of the human body as a reflection of divine beauty and the central position of man in the cosmos.
Object
Oil on panel
anatomical
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
https://sammlungenonline.albertina.at/ "Raffaello Santi" (KÜNSTLER_IN) Graphische Sammlung (Sammlung)
850 × 1071 px
Linked Data
AI AI-cataloged fields generated by gemini-3-flash-preview on March 31, 2026. Getty identifiers are AI-inferred and may require verification.