Sitzender männlicher Akt in Vorderansicht, das Knochengerüst des erhobenen rechten Armes rot eingezeichnet c. 1851 - 1858

Victor Müller rendered this study of a seated male nude in pencil, charting the skeletal structure of the raised arm in red. The exposed anatomy reminds me of the "écorché" figures that have fascinated artists and anatomists alike since the Renaissance, revealing the body's inner workings. Consider Michelangelo’s anatomical studies and the flayed figures in his Last Judgment. This motif emerges from a desire to understand human anatomy, connecting art with science. Müller's red arm evokes a visceral response, touching on the raw, primal aspects of human existence. It’s a confrontation with mortality. This potent symbol, so deeply embedded in our collective consciousness, resurfaces time and again, each time transformed and imbued with new meaning. It represents a non-linear, cyclical progression—an echo resonating through the ages.