Ivory female anatomical figure, Germany, 1601-1800

Ivory anatomical figure, pregnant female, with some removable organs, on ebony couch, possibly German, 17th or 18th century

Lying on an ebony couch and with her head supported by an ivory pillow, this female anatomical figure is shown as pregnant, like most models of this type. The torso can be removed to show the intestines and a foetus in the uterus.

Popular in the 1600s and 1700s, female ivory models like these normally came as a pair with a male equivalent. The organs are not very detailed so it is unlikely that the model was made for medical teaching. The figure was possibly used to teach young couples about anatomy and pregnancy or it may have been a collector’s item.