Anne Heimann, Resident Librarian, designed a new display at the Library of the Health Sciences-Chicago that examines anatomy texts and their impact on medical education and art. The display looks at six significant anatomists and traces the changes that occur from each text: Leonardo da Vinci, Andreas Vesalius, Henry Gray, Eduard Pernkopf, Frank Netter and the National Library of Medicine Visible Human Project are all discussed.
A favorite subject of artists has always been the human body, and from this art we are able to educate. Anatomy texts play a vital role in medical education. From the first anatomy text to use human cadavers as models to using a "virtual" cadaver, these texts have educated millions and continue to be significant not only as educational tools but also as great works of art.
The earliest compilations of anatomy texts were made by woodcuts, in which the illustrator would draw the image onto the side grain of a piece of wood and the areas not drawn were cut away, leaving the flat surface to be inked in. During the era of Vesalius hand coloring was used to produce the images. As developments in printing changed so did the anatomy text. The advent of photography marked the illustration being "copied" rather than created allowing for mass production. Currently, digital images are being used to create 3-D models of the human body available on the World Wide Web. These works of technological art are changing and advancing medical education.
The exhibit opened on May 1st and will be on display through summer 2003.
