John Gurche's "Shaping Humanity"

Paleoartist John Gurche’s reconstructions span more than six million years of human evolution. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

Reconstructions begin with a cast of a skull. Unlike dissection, the artist works from the inside out, layer by layer. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

The artist takes cues from the fossilized skull and knowledge of human and ape anatomy to create forensically accurate models. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

This small human-like creature, Australopithecus afarensis, lived 3.2 million years ago and walked upright on two feet. (John Gurche, ”Shaping Humanity")

This Paranthropus boisei, cast in bronze, is shown going about his daily life about 2 million years ago. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

Reaching back 1.5 million years in human history, John Gurche begins his study of Homo erectus with a series of drawings. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

John Gurche builds an armature for Homo erectus and models the muscles on a live human figure. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

The resulting bronze sculpture in the Human Origins exhibit at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

Homo heidelbergensis depicted at a camp fire around 200,000 years ago. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

A series of drawings begins the work on Neanderthals in the exhibit. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

John Gurche creates an intimate moment between a Neanderthal mother and her child that might have taken place 70,000 years ago. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

A scene of motherly love among Neanderthals is an unexpected surprise for tourists. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

A Homo floresiensis is caught in a moment of surprise, perhaps by an attack by a predator 18,000 years ago. (John Gurche, “Shaping Humanity”)

John Gurche’s studio is crowded with the bones, casts and skulls he refers to in his work. (John Gurche)

A worktable with tools of the trade. (John Gurche)