The Book Of A Hundred Hands

The legendary Art Students League of New York teacher offers 100 fine drawings and in-depth instruction in this guide to drawing virtually every aspect and posture of the human hand.

The hand is second only to language in defining the human being, and its constant presence makes it a ready reminder of our humanity, with all its privileges and obligations. In this dazzling collection, Cole Swensen explores the hand from any angle approachable by language and art. Her hope: to exhaust the hand as subject matter; her joy: the fact that she couldn’t. These short poems reveal the hand from a hundred different perspectives. Incorporating sign language, drawing manuals, paintings from the 14th to the 20th century, shadow puppets, imagined histories, positions (the “hand as a boatless sail”), and professions (“the hand as window in which the panes infinitesimal”), Cole Swensen’s fine hand is “that which augments” our understanding and appreciation of “this freak wing,” this “wheel that comforts none” yet remains “a fruit the size and shape of the heart.”

In 1927, the leading art schools of the United States were invited to participate in a contest sponsored by the Art Students League of New York. A well-known artist and teacher, George B. Bridgman, directed the jury that selected the best figure drawings. Afterward, Bridgman assembled this splendid gallery of the best images from the competition. Intermediate-level students will benefit from the study of these complete and detailed drawings. Sketches in charcoal, pencil, wash, pen and ink, and crayon include a tremendous variety of styles, poses, and techniques. In addition to its value as a handbook, this collection also offers an authentic reflection of the era's excellent draftsmanship.

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