Rib Cage and Abdominals

 

image: Michelangelo Buonarotti (1475- 1564)

Male Nude with Proportions Indicated

red chalk, 11 1/2" x 7 1/8" (289 x 180 mm)

The Royal Collection © 2010, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II RL 12765

Click HERE for a chapter on the rib cage and abdominal muscles from Anatomy Lessons from the Great Masters by Robert Beverly Hale.

intercostales interni

Intercostales interni, originally uploaded by czarita.

nice image of muscle fiber direction:

intercostales interni

The Intercostales interni are also eleven in number on each side.

Their attachments:

• commence anteriorly at the sternum, in the interspaces between the cartilages of the true ribs;
  
• and at the anterior extremities of the cartilages of the false ribs,
  
• and extend backwards as far as the angles of the ribs, where each is replaced by an aponeurotic layer named the posterior intercostal membrane, which is continuous with the superior costotransverse ligament.
  

Each muscle arises from the floor of the costal groove and the corresponding costal cartilage, and is inserted into the upper border of the rib below.

Their fibers axe also directed obliquely, but at right angles to those of the External intercostal muscles.

the society of figurative arts

this is a beautiful and helpful website with tons of examples of structural drawing, line work, and anatomy








here are examples of the torso, rib cage, and pelvis (note the muscles included in the drawings like we've been working on in class):

rib cage posts

here are some of the posts on the rib cage that i find well done (completing the assignment correctly--including supplying identifying information on the original drawings and writing a summary paragraph about your process learning about the structure of the rib cage):

this is not an all-inclusive list. i just picked a few so you could all see examples of what i thought constituted a thorough, reflective post.

Katie Lewandowski

Ryan Smith (this one needs the originals in the post, but otherwise has nice tracings with labels of the rib cage anatomy and a good summary of his process)

assignment for tuesday, september 23

1. find three old master drawings (in a book) that show a lot of information regarding the structure of the rib cage. make a copy or scan of each image and then, using tracing paper and a colored pencil/pen, trace this information.
   
   
2. the three drawings should include one each from the following points of view:
   

• straight-on (front or back)
• 3/4 view (front or back)
• moderate/extreme foreshortening
  
  

3. include in your tracing:

• egg shape of rib cage
• form of sternum (including three parts and angles)
• cartilage of rib cage (especially its convexity if seen in the drawing)
• thoracic curve
• first pair of ribs
  
  

4. post these three old master images to your blog, noting the artist, date, medium, size, etc. cite your sources. also post your three tracings.


5. write a short paragraph describing the rib cage's structure in each of the drawings.