Ecorche drawing of the head of a dog
Drawing
1816 (drawn)
1816 (drawn)
Artist/Maker | |
Place of origin |
Thomas Landseer (1793/4-1880) was an older brother of the more famous Edwin. He was an engraver, often making prints after his brother's paintings. As a young man Thomas Landseer attended the school run by the artist Benjamin Robert Haydon, which was set up in opposition to the Royal Academy schools. Study of anatomy was a crucially important aspect of Haydon's curriculum, and his students made drawings from dissections and attended classes in anatomy run by the famous surgeon Sir Charles Bell. Human corpses were difficult to obtain at this time, so animal subjects were often dissected instead. This drawing is inscribed 'Bell's', evidence that Landseer made it during one of the anatomy demonstrations given at Bell's premises in Soho, London. It is one of a group of three drawings of an écorché (skinned) dog in the V&A by Thomas Landseer which he made as a young student.
Object details
Category | |
Object type | |
Title | Ecorche drawing of the head of a dog |
Materials and techniques | Black and red chalk heightened with white chalk on brown paper |
Brief description | Thomas Landseer (1795-1880), ecorche drawing of the head of a dog, 1816 |
Physical description | Ecorche drawing of the head of a dog. On the verso are black chalk studies of a baby. |
Dimensions |
|
Style | |
Marks and inscriptions | Inscribed lower left: 'Feby 1816 - T. Landseer' and lower right 'Bell's / Study from Nature of a Dead [corner of sheet missing]' |
Credit line | Purchased with the assistance of funds from the Daviest bequest and the Isabella M Gaster bequest |
Object history | Edwin Landseer; his sale of 1874 (probably lot 981); Charles Mansel Lewis and thence by descent; purchased 2010 |
Subject depicted | |
Summary | Thomas Landseer (1793/4-1880) was an older brother of the more famous Edwin. He was an engraver, often making prints after his brother's paintings. As a young man Thomas Landseer attended the school run by the artist Benjamin Robert Haydon, which was set up in opposition to the Royal Academy schools. Study of anatomy was a crucially important aspect of Haydon's curriculum, and his students made drawings from dissections and attended classes in anatomy run by the famous surgeon Sir Charles Bell. Human corpses were difficult to obtain at this time, so animal subjects were often dissected instead. This drawing is inscribed 'Bell's', evidence that Landseer made it during one of the anatomy demonstrations given at Bell's premises in Soho, London. It is one of a group of three drawings of an écorché (skinned) dog in the V&A by Thomas Landseer which he made as a young student. |
Bibliographic reference | Susan Owens, 'Ecorché drawings by Edwin Landseer', Burlington Magazine, 1310 (May 2012), 337-344 |
Collection | |
Accession number | E.6-2011 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
Record created | January 5, 2011 |
Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest