"This gruesome figure was cast from the corpse of a murderer, taken straight from the gallows to be nailed to a cross and flayed in order to settle an artistic debate. Three Royal Academicians... conducted this experiment to prove their belief that most depictions of the Crucifixion were anatomically incorrect. " --The Royal Academy of Arts Website
A nice, visceral intersection of religion and anatomy in one lovely object. Entitled "Anatomical Crucifixion (James Legg)," this plaster cast of murderer James Legg was made in 1801 by an unknown maker. Find out more about the history of this remarkable object here. Via Mutant Sloth.
3 comments:
that's a wild story
Really stunning and as well manages to shock.
Actually the sculptor was not unknown, his name was Thomas Banks.
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