Anatomy, The Scapula
Anatomy, The Scapula
Signed Print
Jean-Michel Basquiat
POA
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Screenprint, 1982
Signed Print Edition of 18
Critical Review
In this print, Basquiat depicts the shoulder blade in soft grey on a solid black background, as is characteristic of the Anatomy series. Leonardo Da Vinci’s anatomical studies and Basquiat's own experience with severe bodily injury are evident in the artist's careful depiction of the human body.
The artist's passionate drawing approach is tempered by a close understanding of the physical reality of his subject matter. The significant negative space which occupies the prints of the Anatomy series offers a stark counterpoint to the maximalist use of colour and shape which defines many of the artist’s most famous works, including Jawbone Of An Ass. An errant line to the left of the drawing of the scapula upsets the print’s clinical aspect and similarity to medical textbooks, and gestures to Basquiat’s tendency to disrupt established modes of representation.
The tissues' brittleness is emphasised by the fact that the drawings are distinctly two-dimensional in nature, with the bones being rendered in a manner that is almost cartoon-like, such is their minimalism.
The fragility of the bodily parts is captured in the drawings through the use of delicate, wiry lines.
