Principles of Figure Drawing

Principles of Figure Drawing by Alexander Dobkin, published by the World Publishing Company in 1948. This is a hardback instructional art book, bound in burnt orange cloth with gilt titling to the front cover and a line drawing of a standing nude figure. The same motif is repeated in smaller form on the spine, which also carries the title in gilt lettering, now faded in places. The back cover is plain cloth. Inside, the copyright page confirms the World Publishing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, 1948, with design and lithography credits. A dedication page follows, with a small pencil-style illustration of a woman's head. The text block shows plates and diagrams of figure studies after artists including Rembrandt, Delacroix and Renoir, printed on cream paper with captioned illustrations. The cloth shows rubbing to the extremities and corners, with wear to the spine ends. Overall shape is a little bowed. The covers are sound but show handling marks consistent with age.