Anatomica: The Exquisite and Unsettling Art of Human Anatomy
Joanna Ebenstein
Laurence King Publishing / Hachette Group
Anatomy is a fascinating area, especially when it traverses into artful realms, which is not a stretch, given the complex interior and intricacies of our bodies that are designed to keep our vital functions intact.
Now, as the title of this beautiful volume would suggest, this is not merely a medical book but one that would find itself perfectly placed on any coffee table.
Opulently illustrated and artfully printed, both the scientifically intrigued as well as the odd morbid enthusiast would be enthused with the curation of how the seemingly disgusting and repulsive is portrayed in the most beautiful and delicate manner and vice versa.
Both terrifying and uncanny, Joanna Ebenstein plays with what our subconsciousness dreads and expertly walks the line that is the netherworld of anatomy via the portrayal of over three hundred depictions of what lays on the inside of our chassis, spanning a period of seven hundred years.
Well-annotated and backed by a medical editor, the recipient will not only gain insights into hidden facets of the human body but also how the perceptions, illustrations and representations have changed over time.
Meandering between the bizarre, the fascinating and the borderline mythical, the dissections of cadavers highlight how myths and teachings have been challenged from the fourteenth century onwards and how the study of anatomy has advanced over time to culminate in today’s Gray’s Anatomy.
From woodcuts via watercolour images to lithographs and engravings sourced from different continents, Anatomica offers much more than what meets the eye: As the historical component plays an integral role, it results in an illuminating read shedding light on major advances in the study of anatomy in a contextualised manner and one that will help with the understanding of one’s body in both pristine and decrepit condition.
