The text discusses the mechanics of pushing and lifting, using examples from everyday actions such as a horse pushing a sled or Hercules lifting a person. It emphasizes how these actions are not just dependent on the limbs but involve the entire body's balance and counterbalance. The section stresses the importance of understanding these principles for drawing and art.
Variety of Positions
It is important to observe how a horse attached to a sled pushes forward with its chest by means of its harness or collar. Similarly, we see a hook being attached by its bent eye so that it can only push forward from behind. The same principle applies to a loop, rope, or handhold during drawing actions. One could say that a rope wrapped around a bale is wound by a windlass to lift weight upward.
Returning to the action of lifting and carrying, as we discussed earlier, we will now present an example that somewhat differs from the previous one. This action is not so much performed with one or two arms but involves the entire body. An interesting example of this can be seen in the following illustration, marked with 'H,' where Hercules is depicted lifting a person entirely off the ground, embracing them with his arms, and carrying the body on his chest and abdomen. You can observe how the upper body of Hercules, namely the shoulders, back, and arms, is shifted beyond its weight and line. Hercules cannot maintain this stance without adequate counterbalance, which is necessary to support the person he is lifting. This example not only shows how the shoulder of the carried body acts as the midpoint of the weight for both bodies but also illustrates that the counterweight is created mainly by the hanging lower body of the carried man.