Maarten van Heemskerck

The back cover of a book, shown at an angle on a white background. The cover features sepia-toned sketches of a Roman archway on the left and a detailed Roman sandal on the right, with a central block of German text and a barcode at the top right.

A hardcover book, titled Maarten van Heemskerck, Das Römische Zeichnungsbuch, is presented at an angle on a plain white background. The book's off-white cover features sepia line drawings of classical Roman sculptures and architectural elements.

An open art book displaying two pages of classical figure studies in brown ink on aged paper, set against a white background. The left page shows sketches of a female nude in standing and seated poses. The right page contains studies of muscular, crouching nude figures.

An overhead view of an open book on a white surface. The left page features sketches on aged paper, including an ornate classical panel, a human foot in red chalk, and an ostrich. The right page is a solid, pale blue-grey with the bracketed German text [ZWEI FEHLENDE SEITEN], which means two missing pages.

An overhead view of an open art book on a white background. The left page is a solid, pale sage green. The right page displays a charcoal drawing of an abstract, rounded form on aged paper, which is framed by a distressed, painted grey border.

A pair of black and white pen-and-ink studies on aged paper, showing a man's head from two different dramatic, low-angle perspectives. In both images, the man's head is tilted back, with his face, thick curly hair, and beard rendered in detailed cross-hatching that creates a sculptural, three-dimensional effect.

A two-panel image displaying a historical drawing beside a solid color block. On the left, a pen-and-ink study on aged paper depicts two heavily muscled male torsos from the back in a Renaissance style. On the right, a pale green background has the German text [ZWEI FEHLENDE SEITEN], meaning two missing pages, printed at the top.

A composite image of two Renaissance-style drawings on aged paper. On the left, a pen and ink sketch depicts a winged figure with a tambourine sitting on a reclining bull, next to a study of an ornate candelabrum. On the right, a red chalk drawing shows anatomical studies of muscular animal forms.

Two Renaissance-style anatomical drawings on separate sheets of aged paper. The drawing on the left features detailed studies of muscular horse legs in brown ink. The drawing on the right shows a bent horse leg in brown ink next to a faint study of a male torso from behind, rendered in red chalk.

A diptych of two pages from an artist's sketchbook, rendered in brown ink. The left page features detailed anatomical studies of a muscular male torso and arm, alongside a grotesque sculpture with a lion's head and a human bust. The right page shows a study of a seated, winged griffin on a pedestal and a muscular male leg.

A pair of pen and ink studies on aged paper, presented side-by-side. The left study depicts a detailed Roman sandal on a stone block in front of a crumbling classical arch. The right study shows a large, ornate urn with scrolled handles on a pedestal, set against a background of architectural ruins, including a tall, broken tower.

Two sheets of aged paper with pen and ink drawings of nude figures by an Old Master. The left sheet contains three studies of a muscular woman, standing and seated. The right sheet shows three studies of crouching figures in pensive, contorted poses. The sketches utilize detailed cross-hatching to define form and musculature.

A diptych of two detailed pen and ink drawings on aged paper, creating a panoramic view of ancient Roman ruins. The landscapes are filled with crumbling temples, a triumphal arch, fortified buildings on hills, and scattered architectural fragments, with small figures of people populating the scenes.

A two-page book spread. The left page shows a drawing on aged, torn paper featuring several studies: an ornate architectural panel with figures, a large foot sketched in red chalk, and an ostrich. The right page is solid light green with the German text [ZWEI FEHLENDE SEITEN] printed at the top.

Maarten van Heemskerck

The Roman Sketchbook

€ 32.00

VAT included. Shipping costs will be calculated at checkout

By (artist): Maarten van Heemskerck

Edited by: Tatjana Bartsch, Christien Melzer

September 2024, 184 Pages, 134 Photos

Hardcover

148mm x 232mm

ISBN: 978-3-7757-5798-0

HATJE CANTZ VERLAG
Mommsenstr. 27
10629 Berlin
Germany
E-Mail: contact@hatjecantz.de

According to Article 9(7) of the GPSR Regulation, no additional security information is required for books without supplements or special functions.

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Close-up of the Renaissance artist

Between 1532 and 1536/37, the Dutch artist Maarten van Heemskerck traveled to Rome. Most of the drawings created there were made by van Heemskerck in a sketchbook that he filled with motifs as he wandered through the city, and whose original binding has been lost. Thanks to state-of-the-art technology, researchers at the Berlin Kupferstichkabinett have now largely reconstructed the original sequence of the book's pages. This forms the basis of the present facsimile. In his fascinating studies, van Heemskerck captured the ancient sculptures, ruins, and Roman cityscapes. His sketches display a refined eye for composition and perspective as well as an extraordinary sensibility of drawing. In the sketchbook, the artist developed a space for individual experimentation, as well as a valuable trove of motifs from which he would draw throughout his life.

MAARTEN VAN HEEMSKERCK (1498-1574) was one of the most famous Dutch painters of the sixteenth century. Today he is best known for his magnificent Roman drawings.

EXHIBITION
Kupferstichkabinett, Staatliche Museen zu Berlin, Preußischer Kulturbesitz
April 26-August 4, 2024