Male ivory anatomical figure, Germany, 1601-1800

Ivory anatomical figure, male, with some removable internal organs, lying on a couch, possibly German, 17th or 18th century

When the torso of this male ivory anatomical model is removed, representations of the intestines, heart and lungs can be seen. Popular in the 1600s and 1700s, carved ivory anatomical figures normally came in male and female pairs. Female examples were almost always shown as pregnant. The anatomical features of the organs are not very detailed so it is unlikely that the model was made for medical teaching. The figures were possibly used to teach young couples about anatomy and pregnancy or it may have been a collector’s item.