Print showing the internal structure of the human head and neck, France, 1748

Handcoloured diagram of human anatomy, by Jacques Fabien Gautier d'Agoty, 1748

The internal structure of the head and neck including the blood vessels, the spinal column and the windpipe are detailed in this coloured print. Jacques-Fabien Gautier d’Agoty (c. 1717-1785) and his five sons worked with leading Parisian anatomists to produce atlases of the human body, painting, engraving and publishing the prints. This example is from 'Anatomie de la tête' (Anatomy of the Head).

Anatomical prints and drawings were useful tools for medical students as specific features of the body could be enlarged and picked out, making the structures easier to understand. Books and models were useful substitutes for the dissection of real bodies, which were difficult to acquire and preserve.