THE DISCOVERY OF THE BODY: ANATOMY AND ART

The long and fruitful collaboration between anatomists and artists led to the creation of works that – according to their original function – can be distinguished into anatomical works with a remarkable artistic content and art works with a significant anatomical interest. With this premise, the exhibition itinerary presents a selection of works featuring anatomy illustrations published in the 1500s: from Commentaria super Anatomia Mundini by Jacopo Berengario da Carpi, to Andreas Vesalius’ masterpiece, De humani corporis fabrica libri septem, illustrated by Titian or someone of his School, and finally the wonderful Pitture colorate d’anatomia(Coloured paintings of anatomy) commissioned by Girolamo Fabrici d’Acquapendente.

These works highlight the exchange between anatomists and artists, and show a sophisticated employment of illustrations in a scientific perspective. To the same degree, many are the works of art containing anatomical details that provide us with important historical-medical information. In the exhibition we display, on a specific screen, a few works of art – e.g. Andrea Mantegna’s Dead Christ and Rembrandt’s The anatomy lesson of Dr Tulp – from which we can extrapolate details of anatomical and medical interest. The ideal journey from the knowledge of the body to the artistic realization finds its final expression in the drawings of Venice’s Accademia di Belle Arti’s students, accurately selected under the supervision of the teachers of artistic anatomy, Professors Renzo Peretti and Mauro Zocchetta.

CURATED BY

Prof. Maurizio Rippa Bonati (Dip. Scienze Cardiologiche Toraciche e Vascolari University of Padua)

Dr Silvia Ferretto (Dip. Scienze Cardiologiche Toraciche e Vascolari University of Padua)

WITH THE COLLABORATION OF

Prof. Renzo Peretti (Corso di Anatomia Artistica, Accademia di Belle Arti of Venice)

Prof. Mauro Zocchetta (Corso di Anatomia Artistica, Accademia di Belle Arti of Venice)

And the students of Accademia di Belle Arti

LOANS FROM

Accademia delle Belle Arti of Venice

Biblioteca Nazionale Marciana

University of Padua Library

University of Padua

EXHIBITION PROMOTED BY MuSMe Foundation

Azienda Ospedaliera di Padova

Comune di Padova

Provincia di Padova

Regione del Veneto

ULSS 16 di Padova

University of Padua

SCIENTIFIC BOARD OF MuSMe Foundation

Prof. Vincenzo Milanesi (Chair)

Prof. Alessandro Martini

Prof. Maurizio Rippa Bonati

Prof. Gaetano Thiene

Prof. Roberto Vettor

All members of the University of Padua

Opening hours: The exhibition will be visitable during the Museum’s opening hours:

From Tuesday to Friday 2.30 pm – 7.00 pm.

Weekends and holidays: 9.30 am – 7.00 pm.
Closing starts at 6.15 pm.

Closing day: Monday.

Admission: the exhibition is included in the entrance fee of MUSME.