Exquisite Bodies
Or the curious and grotesque story of the anatomical model
30 July-18 October 2009
In the 19th century, despite the best efforts of body snatchers, the demand from medical schools for fresh cadavers far outstripped the supply. One solution to this gruesome problem came in the form of lifelike wax models. These models often took the form of alluring female figures that could be stripped and split into different sections. Other models were more macabre, showing the body ravaged by 'social diseases' such as venereal disease, tuberculosis and alcohol and drug addiction (more info here)
section of the thorax at the level of the heart
joseph towne, london, c.1827-79
bearded lady
undated (c. 1900)
