Principles of Figure Drawing Revised Edition 1960

Alexander Dobkin

Published by The World Publishing Company, Cleveland & New York, 1960

About this Item

A substantial mid-century instructional art volume by noted illustrator and teacher Alexander Dobkin, presenting a comprehensive course in drawing the human figure. Organized progressively from proportion and skeletal structure through musculature, movement, drapery, and advanced drawing methods, the work draws heavily upon examples from the Old Masters and modern artists alike, including Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, Rodin, Soyer, Raphael, Rubens, Picasso, and many others. Hundreds of illustrations, diagrams, anatomical studies, and reproductions accompany the text, making the volume both a practical studio manual and a survey of figure-drawing traditions from the Renaissance through the twentieth century.

Condition: Near Fine. Original tan cloth boards with silver and black stamping remain clean and attractive. Binding is sound and square. Interior pages are bright and remarkably clean with no ownership marks, highlighting, or marginalia observed. The coated illustration sections remain crisp and vibrant. Minor rubbing and slight wear at the spine ends and lower corners are present, along with light age-toning to the page edges. No dust jacket present. Despite the absence of the jacket, this is an exceptionally well-preserved copy of a heavily used art-instruction title.

Title page identifies the work as Principles of Figure Drawing; copyright page states 'Revised Edition' and notes copyrights of 1948 and 1960 by The World Publishing Company. This is the revised 1960 edition, incorporating updates to the original postwar edition. No later printing statement is present.

Alexander Dobkin (1908-1975) was a Russian-born American illustrator, painter, and influential teacher of figure drawing. Best known for his instructional art books and teaching career, Dobkin emphasized anatomical understanding, observation, and expressive draftsmanship. His works remain respected references among artists, illustrators, and students seeking a classical approach to figure construction and human anatomy.

Seller Inventory # NF.DOB.1960.1

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Principles of Figure Drawing Revised Edition 1960
• Publisher: The World Publishing Company, Cleveland & New York
• Publication Date: 1960
• Language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 2nd Edition
• Condition: Near Fine
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • Art
  • Non-Fiction
  • Educational