Male torso from "L'art de dessiner, de maistre Jean Cousin, excellent peintre françois".

Woodblock, 15,1 x 21,3 x 2,1 cm, numb. and lettered throughout image, numb. 31 and 35 in pen on verso (some wormholes, few sm. parts of framing line missing, lower framing line restored, 1 hole).

Good condition. Extremely rare.

High-quality woodblock for an illustration of the front and back of a male torso with visible muscles, numerous letters indicating all parts, and a scale. Produced for an edition of Jean Cousin II's (c. 1536-1594) popular drawing manual, published by François Jollain (1641-1704). The corresponding image can be found on p. 31 of the book, of which a copy is in Paris (https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k1518666z/f37.item.zoom). 17th-c. woodblocks are rare, especially in private collections.
Ref. catalogue.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/cb393163358.