Male ivory anatomical figure, Germany, 1601-1800
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Inside this ivory male anatomical figure are individually carved organs, including the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. The bladder is represented by moonstone. Popular in the 1600s and 1700s, ivory anatomical figures normally came in male and female pairs; female examples were almost always shown as pregnant. The organs are not very detailed so it is unlikely that the model was made for medical teaching. The figures were possibly used to teach young couples about anatomy and pregnancy or it may have been a collector’s item.
Object number:
A642594
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: anatomical figure
Highly detailed models of the full human figure for artists, teachers and medical practitioners.
Glossary: anatomy
A branch of medical science concerned with the structure of living organisms.