"Italian Wax Anatomical Models in European Collections," Lecture at Observatory, Friday April 3rd

Thanks to everyone who came out last night to see Kathryn Hoffmann's wonderful lecture at Observatory! The next Observatory event--on a closely related theme--will take place next Friday, April 3rd, at 7:30 PM. Hope you can make it! Here are the details:

Morbid Anatomy presents at Observatory:
"Italian Wax Anatomical Models in European Collections"
Marie Dauenheimer, Trustee of the Vesalius Trust and Medical Illustrator
Friday, April 3rd
Doors open at 7:00; Presentation at 7:30 PM

This illustrated presentation will examine the art and history of the wax anatomical models of the “Museo Zoologico La Specola” in Florence, Italy. Over 2,000 wax models of human anatomy were created by the museum's “Wax Modeling Workshop” from the mid 18th to early 19th century, and the products of their labor--best known to modern audiences through Tachen's Encyclopaedia Anatomica--are considered by many to be the finest anatomical waxworks in the world.

This presentation will address how and why these anatomical masterpieces were created, the artists and anatomists who created them, and the place of these collections in the history of anatomical art. The wax anatomical models of Bologna, which pre-date those of “La Specola,” will also discussed.

Marie Dauenheimer is a board-certified Medical Illustrator living in the Washington D.C. area. She is also a trustee on the board of the Vesalius Trust, a non-profit organization which works to support education and research in medical illustration and related visual communication professions. Marie leads the Vesalius Trust Art and Anatomy tours, which are educational tours of important anatomical museums throughout the world. This year's tour--from October 27 to November 8th--will feature museums in Florence (including "La Specola"), Bologna, Venice, and Padua; for more information about this tour, click here. You can see some of Marie's work by clicking here.

Practical Details
"Italian Wax Anatomical Models in European Collections"
Marie Dauenheimer, Trustee of the Vesalius Trust and Medical Illustrator
Friday, April 3rd
Doors open at 7:00; Presentation at 7:30 PM
Admission: Free
Location: Observatory
543 Union Street (at Nevins) Brooklyn, New York 11215
Entry via Proteus Gowanus Interdisciplinary Gallery and Reading Room; go through back door of gallery, then take a left to find event. Directions here or call 718.243.1572.

To learn more about Observatory, click here; you can also visit our under-construction website by clicking here. To get on mailing list, or if you if you might be interested in presenting an event in the future, email me by clicking here.

Image: Photo of anatomical waxes from my visit to the “Museo Zoologico La Specola."