Print showing the musculature of the human body, Paris, France, 1678
Showing the male human body complete with the muscles and skin, this anatomical drawing was one of sixteen plates of 'Nouvelles tables anatomiques' or 'New Anatomical Tables'. Each plate was drawn by Amé Bourdon (1683-1706), a French physician and anatomist, and engraved by Daniel Le Bossu. On the left hand side is a manuscript key to identify each part of the body. The work was published in 1679. The close relationship between art and anatomy began in the Renaissance, when artists and anatomists worked closely together to produce detailed anatomical drawings for medical textbooks, and established artistic and aesthetic conventions.
Object number:
1979-574/1
Related Themes and Topics
Glossary:
Glossary: print
Pictorial works produced by transferring images by means of a matrix such as a plate, block, or screen, using any of various printing processes. When emphasizing the individual printed image, use "impressions." Avoid the controversial expression "original prints," except in reference to discussions of the expression's use. If prints are neither "reproductive prints" nor "popular prints," use just "prints."
Glossary: anatomy
A branch of medical science concerned with the structure of living organisms.
Glossary: dissection
The cutting apart and separation of body tissues for the purposes of critical examination. Dissection of corpses is often carried out for the study of anatomy.