Anatomical Concepts

“The doctor studies the body to improve its fate; the artist to improve its spirit.” Benjamin A. Rifkin

The study of human anatomy is a fascinating science shared for centuries by physicians and artists alike, but for different reasons. Artistic anatomy, a subject with an inspired and sometimes disturbing history, is the title given to the classic French work by Dr. Paul Richer and translated by Robert Beverly Hale. This title implies not only a particular goal but also a particular approach to finding beauty and significance in the construction of the human body.

Our recent lecture series on Anatomical Concepts introduces a simplified approach to a complex study developed especially for this course. Using drawings, paintings and sculptural models taken from the history of art, a classical framework is developed to guide an artistic understanding into how anatomy has been interpreted and expressed through a gallery of the world’s greatest masterpieces.