Plate 12: Male Nude, Lying on his Left Side, Seen from the Back, His Hand on a Tiller - Jan de Bisschop

A detailed etching by Jan de Bisschop, depicting a muscular male nude in a reclining pose, inspired by the work of Michelangelo.

This etching by Jan de Bisschop, a Dutch lawyer and amateur artist, belongs to his collection of prints reproducing classical and Renaissance masterpieces. The work is part of the 'Paradigmata Graphices', a series intended to instruct students in the art of drawing by providing examples of the human form as interpreted by earlier masters.

In this specific plate, de Bisschop captures a muscular male figure in a reclining position. The composition is derived from the work of Michelangelo, as indicated by the inscription 'Mich. Ang. Bonar. pinx.' at the bottom left. The figure is shown from the back, with one arm raised and the hand resting upon a tiller, a detail that adds a sense of narrative weight to the anatomical study. The artist employs precise, hatched lines to define the musculature of the back, shoulders, and legs, creating a sense of volume and physical tension.

De Bisschop was known for his ability to translate the painterly qualities of his sources into the linear language of etching. His technique relies on clear, controlled strokes that model the form without obscuring the underlying structure. The print reflects the seventeenth-century interest in the 'grand manner' of Italian art, which was highly regarded by Northern European artists of the period. By documenting these poses, de Bisschop provided a visual resource for his contemporaries, allowing them to study the proportions and dynamics of the human body as established by the masters of the Italian Renaissance. The work remains a clear example of the pedagogical approach to art history during the Dutch Golden Age, where the study of classical antiquity and the Renaissance was considered essential for any aspiring artist.