Squelettes et Ecorches
c. 1540-1545
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
plate: 23.7 × 33.3 cm (9 5/16 × 13 1/8 in.) sheet: 24 × 33.7 cm (9 7/16 × 13 1/4 in.) mount: 26.8 × 37.6 cm (10 9/16 × 14 13/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Andrew W. Mellon Fund
Accession Number
1978.2.1
Art Historical Context
Domenico del Barbiere’s engraving *Squelettes et Écorchés* captures the Renaissance fascination with human anatomy through a striking arrangement of skeletons and flayed figures. Created around 154–1545, the reflects the period’s growing interest in scientific observation and the artist’s training in precise draftsmanship. Working in France as part of the School of Fontainebleau, del Barbiere translated Italian Mannerist sensibilities into detailed reproductive prints that served both artistic and educational purposes. Engraving was ideally suited to this subject, allowing fine lines to rende...