#anatomical model

This remarkable 18th-century wax anatomical model comes from the Javier Puerta Museum, and was recently on display as part of the “Arte y Carne” Exhibition this past May in Madrid. It’s similar to one I posted a few days ago, but this one depicts twins. Wax models like this were used for teaching anatomy to medical students at a time when few bodies were available for dissection. They very much represent the merging of science and art which characterized the Enlightenment.

Ivory anatomical models. 17th century.

Illustration based on this Nautilus article I read about the Venus Anatomical models, constructed during a period of time where the line between medicine/the divine/and the nature of femininity/virtue/beauty were all weird and fuzzy.