however, one can see the impact of Michelangelo, both
in the extensive delicate hatching articulating the mus-
culature and in the surging, heroically proportioned
forms. The Italianate character of its handling and sub-
ject matter and the Mantuan watermarks on its compan
ion drawings argue for a dating of the sheet to the early
years of Rubens's Italian sojourn.
- Auctioned at Christie's, London, July 6 , 1987, lots 57-67.
As mentioned in the sale catalogue, lots 60, 62, 64, and 67 bore
a watermark of a fleur-de-lis above the letter M (similar to Bri-
quet 7307 [recorded at Mantua, 1575]), and lots 58 and 61 bore
the countermark CP with a trefoil. - The attribution of the Museum's drawing to Rubens has
been confirmed by E. Haverkamp-Begemann and A.-M. Lo-
gan (conversations with G. Goldner, 1987). - Another in this group is Anatomical Study of Legs (Albertina
inv. 8.3 09). For further discussions of Rubens's anatomy book,
see M. JafFé, Van Dyck's Antwerp Sketchbook (London, 1966),
vol. i, pp. 38-39, 42-43. - Undated; published by A. Voet, Antwerp. The frontispiece
bears the centered inscription PETRUS PAULUS I RUB-
BENS / DELINEAVIT. SeeM. Rooses, L'Oeuvre de P. P. Ru-
bens (Antwerp, 1892), vol. 5, no. 1229; C. G. Voorhelm
Schneevoogt, Catalogue des estampes gravées d'après P. P. Rubens
(Haarlem, 1873), Suites, no. 68. See also J. Bolten, Method and
Practice: Dutch and Flemish Drawing Books 1600-1750 (Landau,
1985), pp. 102-6. GarfFhas advanced the untenable suggestion
that the present drawing may be a copy by Pontius after Rubens
or by an Italian draughtsman such as Passarotti (Garff and de la
Fuente Pedersen 1988, vol. i, pp. 80-81). - G. Harcourt, "Andreas Vesalius and the Anatomy of An-
tique Sculpture," Representations 17 (Winter 1987), p. 29.
PAULUS PONTIUS (Flemish, 1603-1658). Study of ThreeEcorchés
(after Peter Paul Rubens). Engraving. H: 3i.4cm(i2^3 /8Ín.); W:
21.7 cm (8^5 /s in.). Antwerp, Stad Antwerpen Museum Plantin
Moretus en Prentenkabinet m/P.289.2O 4 FLEMISH SCHOOL • RUBENS