Drawing from the Antique

 

Drawing from the antique has been the threshold to artistic training for centuries. Properly understood, this is a practice with a goal reaching far beyond realism. It is an initiation into the many mysteries of illusion as well as an introduction to the classical tradition with its balance of geometric design and naturalistic representation. Much of the history of Art has been carved from these models of antiquity.

Considered by many to be the only modern artist ever to successfully compete with the ancients in this arena was the Florentine, Michelangelo Buonarotti. The majesty of his David, and especially the features of the face, have themselves evolved into icons for training and are often used as a transition in studying from the flat to the round.