Figure of the Dead Christ

Anthony Van Dyck

Summary

A reproduction produced by the Vasari Society of a drawing by Antony van Dyck. The drawing shows a male nude lying back against a figure in the upper left of the composition. The man is positioned diagonally across the composition with his feet in the lower right corner. The man's head is tilted to the left, resting on his right shoulder, and he has a piece of white cloth wrapped around the top of his right leg. The figure behind is wearing a dark cloak and has her left hand on the man's left arm. In the upper right of the composition is a study of a head turned towards the right with an anguished expression. The original drawing was done in black chalk with white highlights. Text from the accompanying booklet produced by the Vasari Society: "No. 27 ANTONY VAN DYCK (b. 1599, d. 1641) FIGURE OF THE DEAD CHRIST British Museum, 1875-3-13-45. Black and white chalk on blue-grey paper. 53.5 x 45.1 cm. (21 1/8 x 17 3/4 in.) This superb study gives the essentials of the central figure in the fine picture in Berlin (No. 778). Slight but unimportant variations exist in the draperies, and the supporting figure of St. John seems to have been designed as looking downwards, though the sheet contains also an indication of the saint's head as it appears in the painting. This drawing shows more markedly than the picture the tendency to a Latin fluency or Italian grace which Van Dyck added to his 'Rubens method' during and after his visit to Italy. The Berlin Catalogue ascribes the canvas to the master's second period in Antwerp, after his return from Italy (about 1627). C. R."