Anatomy as Art: Honoring George Sotos
The art community in Chicago is mourning the loss of George Sotos, a foundational figure in figure drawing who passed away on February 3 at the age of 90. Sotos, who operated “The Drawing Workshop” for over five decades, was celebrated for his rigorous approach to human anatomy. His teaching philosophy centered on understanding the body from the “inside out,” often requiring students to construct skeletal models from clay to master the structure underneath the skin.
“He believed the best way to learn how to draw was to build each bone of the human body out of clay,” said Cliff Questel, a graphic artist and former student. Friends and colleagues gathered on June 7 at Tree Studios to honor Sotos, remembering him as an “institution” who shaped generations of artists by emphasizing the structural integrity of the human form.
Archaeological Perspectives: The Siberian Discovery
While Sotos viewed the skeleton as a tool for artistic mastery, modern archaeology continues to use skeletal remains to unlock historical mysteries. Researchers recently reported on a 10th-century burial site in Russia’s Sayan Mountains, uncovered during railway construction. The site contained the remains of a woman and a newborn, accompanied by a unique collection of artifacts, including gilt-bronze earrings and a ritually broken mirror of likely Chinese origin.
Andrey Poliakov of the Russian Academy of Sciences noted that the burial is far from ordinary. The presence of horse remains, including the skull and skin, alongside highly stylized, multi-cultural artifacts, suggests a complex ritualistic context. These findings highlight how skeletal remains—both human and animal—serve as primary evidence for researchers studying the migratory and cultural exchanges of medieval steppe nomads.