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Man Pulling a Rope, His Foot Braced

Carle Van Loo

1743

ink

paper

From the collection of National Gallery of Art

Baroque 18th Century Nude

Dominant colour

Man Pulling a Rope, His Foot Braced is a 1743 ink by Carle Van Loo, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.

Who painted this?: Carle Van Loo
When & what style?: 1743 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: National Gallery of Art

About this work

This etching shows a strong, barefoot man leaning back as he pulls a thick rope tied to a post. His muscles strain, and his hair is tied back. The ground is rough, with a few scattered rocks. The artist focused on the body’s tension and the rope’s texture, using sharp lines to show every twist. This was a common way to study movement in the 1700s. Next, look up etching to see how artists like Van Loo made prints like this.