Etty was quite an expert at depicting the musculature of the male body in ways that were almost unheard of at the time among British painters. Although the overall effect in this untitled piece is somewhat muted, the muscles are well defined in some detail.
Superb. Very few artists seem to have the skill of not only depicting the naked male form accurately but such a strong sense of real presence. The young man we see here is still alive, and has character. Speaking as a life model he generates a great sense of empathy...I know how he feels...
ReplyDelete