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Study of the Belvedere Torso

Drawing
ca.1789-1793 (drawn)
Artist/Maker
Turner, Joseph Mallord William (RA) (artist)
Place of origin
London (drawn)

Coloured chalk drawing of a plaster cast of the the Belvedere Torso


Object details

Category
Drawings
Object type
Drawing
TitleStudy of the Belvedere Torso
Materials and techniques
Black, red and white chalks
Black Chalk
Red Chalk
White Chalk
Drawn
Stump Work
Brief description
J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851), study of the Belvedere Torso, made when Turner was a student in the 'antique academy' of the Royal Academy Schools, ca.1789-1793, black, red and white chalks
Physical description
Coloured chalk drawing of a plaster cast of the the Belvedere Torso
Dimensions
  • Height: 331mm (Note: Pasted to board: 401 x 288 mm)
  • Width: 235mm
Style
British
Marks and inscriptions
Signed bottom right: 'Wm Turner'
Gallery label
Students at the Royal Academy Schools began their training in the 'Antique Academy' by copying from plaster casts of classical sculpture. These works were considered to represent the highest point of artistic achievement. The Belvedere Torso, cast from the classical fragment in the Vatican Museums, was an essential model for aspiring artists.
Object history
Purchased by the museum in 1884 with six other academic studies
Subjects depicted
Antique, The
Art School Drawings
Plaster Casts
Male Nude
Bibliographic reference
Owens, Susan, The Art of Drawing British Masters and Methods since 1600, V&A Publishing, London, 2013, p. 103, fig. 76
Collection
Prints, Drawings & Paintings Collection
Accession number
9261

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O683083/study-of-the-belvedere-torso-drawing-turner-joseph-mallord/
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