Wax model of human face showing internal structure of eye, German(?), 19th century

The side of this wax human face has been cut away to reveal the internal structure of the eye including the muscles and the optic nerve, which carries electrical messages to the brain.

Wax models were used for teaching anatomy to medical students or as part of popular anatomy shows. Models were used to pick out and emphasise specific features of the body, making their structure and function easier to understand, especially at a time when few bodies were available for dissection. The model was donated by the Department of Human Anatomy at the University of Oxford.