#746 "Ecorche"

Ecorche - the French word for "flayed" - is a term that refers to the
anatomical study of animal or human form without skin.  When the
 skin is removed the artist can study the underlying musculature.

When I was a student at Kansas City Art Institute in the early 1960's we made drawings of
the classic plaster cast  - "L'Ecorche" - created by Jean-Antoine Houdon in 1767.
Like most artists I have a replica of the Houdon plaster in my studio.

Pictured below are two models I created several years ago for my workshop students.
The top image is a model cast in bronze of the equine skeleton and the lower image
is an ecorche clay model that was created many years ago but was never cast.
While my workshops focus on bird anatomy, it's important to introduce comparative
anatomy of all vertebrates - especially mammals which includes humans and quadrupeds.

For more information on the subject in this blog search for
nature's one pattern in the white search box. Also, look at the website of sculptor Rod Zullo. His recent
work depicting ecorche is beautifully presented in an extensive and artistic manner.      

rodzullo.com

"Ecorche 1"
9 1/2"H  11 1/2W
Bronze casting

"Ecorche 2"
15 1/2" H  12 1/2"W
Clay model


Blog, text, photos, drawings, and sculpture . . . © Sandy Scott and Trish