Left leg Écorgé

This wax sketch model of a left leg écorché is an anatomical study and was formerly ascribed to Michelangelo. It appeared to be a study for the leg of the marble statue of David (1501-3) in the Accademia at Florence.

Price Amerson Jr. attributes it to Cigoli or after Cigoli.

This model and the related 4 museum numbers have been extensively discussed in the literature of Michelangelo.

The French word écorché literally means flayed or skinned. It has been adopted almost universally by scholars when speaking of a human figure stripped of its skin and thus displaying the superficial layers of muscles. Sculpted models or statuettes in which the muscles of the body are revealed (or écorchés) first appeared in sixteenth century Europe, and in Italy primarily.