Ivory female anatomical figure, Germany, 1601-1800

Made:
1601-1800 in Germany
Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female Ivory anatomical figures of a pregnant female Ivory anatomical figures of a pregnant female

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Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Creative Commons LicenseThis image is released under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Licence

Buy this image as a print 

Buy

License this image for commercial use at Science and Society Picture Library

License

Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female
Science Museum Group
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ivory anatomical figures of a pregnant female
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ivory anatomical figures of a pregnant female
Science Museum Group Collection
© The Board of Trustees of the Science Museum

Ivory anatomical figure, a pregnant female, with some removable internal organs, lying on ebony stand

Female ivory anatomical models of this type were popular in the 1600s and 1700s, and were almost always shown as pregnant. When the torso is removed, representations of the organs such as the heart, lungs, intestines and kidneys can be seen. A protective hand lies over the pregnant woman’s child.

These figures normally came in male and female pairs. The anatomical features of the organs are not very detailed so it is unlikely that the model was made for medical teaching. The figure was possibly used to teach young couples about anatomy and pregnancy or it may have been a collector’s item.

Details

Category:
Anatomy & Pathology
Collection:
Sir Henry Wellcome's Museum Collection
Object Number:
A642638
Materials:
figure, ivory, stand, ebony and stand, ivory
Measurements:
overall: 23 mm x 145 mm x 48 mm,
type:
anatomical figure