Female ivory anatomical figure, Europe, 1601-1800

Made:
1601-1800 in Europe
Female ivory anatomical figure, Europe, 1601-1800 Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Female ivory anatomical figure, Europe, 1601-1800
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female, with some removable internal organs, on wooden stand

Ivory anatomical models such as this one were not uncommon in the 1600s. The internal organs can be removed and a foetus in the uterus can be revealed. The anatomical detail is not very accurate, especially when compared to illustrations in books on anatomy from the same period. As such it is likely that the model was used to teach lay people about basic human anatomy. It may possibly have been used by midwives to provide reassurance for pregnant women and to teach young married couples about anatomy and pregnancy. They sometimes exist as pairs, male and female, and the female figure is almost always shown as pregnant.

Details

Category:
Anatomy & Pathology
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A127699
Materials:
figure, ivory, figure, cloth, stand, wood and stand, cloth
Measurements:
overall: 97 x 240 x 98 mm
type:
anatomical figure
credit:
Schwarzchild, E.