The Belvedere Torso [verso]

The Belvedere Torso [verso] by William Blake, created between 1779 and 1780, is a masterful example of the young artist’s academic training, rendered meticulously in graphite on two joined sheets. This preparatory drawing is a detailed study of the famous Hellenistic sculpture, the Belvedere Torso, a touchstone of classical art housed in the Vatican Museums and revered throughout the eighteenth century. By focusing on the verso, or reverse side, of the sculpture, Blake demonstrated an advanced understanding of complex anatomy, capturing the monumental scale and dynamic, weathered surface of the marble original.

Blake executed this work during a period of intense intellectual and artistic formation, coinciding with the broader evolution of British aesthetics during the period 1776 to 1800. Copying plaster casts or studies of revered antique sculptures was a mandatory exercise for art students seeking to master human form and proportional idealism. The precision achieved through Blake’s use of graphite highlights the nuanced musculature and weight distribution of the ancient figure, underscoring the foundation of physical realism that would later inform his unique narrative and visionary projects.

This drawing serves as a critical document of Blake’s early artistic influences and technical skill before his full turn toward illuminated printing and poetry. The intensity of the line work reveals an artist already committed to clarity and powerful structure. Today, the work is a significant component of the permanent collection at the National Gallery of Art. Because of its age and cultural importance, high-resolution images and prints of this key drawing are frequently released into the public domain, allowing global accessibility to this record of British neoclassical study.