THE SECOND PART

REPRESENTATION

From the Drawing School Away from Nature

Although the art of drawing and painting was highly valued and perfected by the Ancient Greeks and Romans, it was later transmitted by the leading figures of the Houtvo and Sarbaets people, allowing it to spread across the ages. These centuries recorded by Latin authors, such as the Traegh (a master of outdoor settings) in the year 112, were thus documented, and relayed in the oldest Italian paintings and drawings, which showcase half-derived figures based on nature. It's an exercise of the Greek painter where drawings and poems were brought under one to strive beyond the challenge, appearing complete and in perfect compositions.

The drawing masters and painters possessed skills without contriving techniques or tools to guide their subjects, ensuring simple and clear realism. Among them were figures like Ftaal van Ments and Ian dan Cecke, whose works were glorified together with iconic figures such as Michelangelo and Raphael, the celebrated masters of the Renaissance. Their compositions were carefully measured, having the academic precision to teach perspective and shadow effects, achieved through diligent studies from life.

It is striking to observe how an academy or drawing school can serve as a nurturing ground for the artful execution of life drawn models. Yet, the technique demands constant practice and the ability to visualize the human body through methodical training and observation, adopting the psychological interplay between light and shadow. It differentiates between the realistic and the idealized in art.

Drawing the human figure should involve perfecting proportions, the correct measurement from head to foot, allowing a flowing and natural movement. Notwithstanding, should the artist rely solely on their imagination, they must also learn from anatomical models, acknowledging the distribution of each limb in relation to one another, which strengthens the understanding of musculature and skeletal frameworks.

The essence of representation is not just replicating the model but internalizing the stance and expression to relay emotion and suitability, culminating in an artwork that captures the essence of life.

While one might attempt solitary improvisation, the school's guidance and collaborative workshops cultivate a holistic approach in creating spaces through painting, mastering not only the blend of colors but also the spatial arrangement and symbolic undertones that encapsulate the human form.