#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

#671 Africa Portfolio 1 . . . "Recumbent Giraffe", con't

Please visit the previous blog for more information about this post.

There are some events that occur in the field that are branded in your memory for the rest of your life . . . 

in Africa, my first sight of a Giraffe in the wild remains one of the most profound animal encounters I've ever experienced.

While driving on the dusty road from Ngorogoro Crater in Tanzania to the south end of the Serengeti, we went over a rise and a Giraffe was to our left, less than 20 feet from the Land Rover.  "Twiga, said our guide in Swahile" as he stopped the truck . . . a blazing sun, low in the west backlit the magnificent Masai Giraffe (Twiga) as the magic of Africa enveloped me.  The animal advanced slowly, swinging its head and neck from side to side to keep its balance . . . looking as though it was moving in slow motion.   Without raising the camera, I simply soaked it all in . . . knowing that Africa in all its glory,
the grand, long-awaited adventure and subjects for untold future sculptures lay ahead.

Below, are photos taken of Giraffe in Tanzania.

Shown below,  are images of the clay model that was created in one sitting outdoors after our return from Africa.
I don't cast most of my one-sitting  (typically, 2 -4 hour) clay sketches but this one, I deemed worthy of bronze.

More about Giraffe and modeling recumbent animals in next Wednesday's blog.

For anatomy reference, see posts #616 and #655

Go to the BLOG INDEX and Reference Page for more information.

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