Vampire Diaries Sneak Peek: Road Trip, Interrupted

As teased in this Vampire Diaries promo for "American Gothic," the game is about to be fully on this Thursday night.

But before Team Damon and Stefan can track down Team Elena and Rebekah on their way to Katherine, they'll need to fill up on gas. And Stefan will need to give his brother a hard time for letting Elena go in the first place.

Watch some fun brotherly back and forth from the episode now:

As for what else you can expect from this installment, check out a shirtless Klaus in a round of TVD photos and prepare for the return of another Original.

Yes, Fanatics, it's Elijah!

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/vampire-diaries-sneak-peek-road-trip-interrupted/

American Idol Sings The Beatles: Download Now!

It's what the judges tell us every year on American Idol, isn't it?

Forget the drama. Forget the bickering. Forget the fashion or pyrotechnics. This competition is all about the singers.

And this week, it was all about The Beatles, as Candice Glover, Burnell Taylor and company sang tracks from the Paul McCartney and John Lennon handbook.

Burnell Taylor Picture

Below, in what will become a weekly tradition throughout the rest of Season 12, we've made it easier than ever for readers to download the singles covered by this year's finalists. Browse around and click that mouse now:

SongArtist
With A Little Help From My FriendsWith A Little Help From My FriendsKree HarrisonBuy on iTunes
Let It BeLet It BeBurnell TaylorBuy on iTunes
She's Leaving HomeShe's Leaving HomeAmber HolcombBuy on iTunes
Come TogetherCome TogetherCandice GloverBuy on iTunes
Eleanor RigbyEleanor RigbyPaul JolleyBuy on iTunes
In My LifeIn My LifeLazaro ArbosBuy on iTunes
YesterdayYesterdayAngie MillerBuy on iTunes
The Long And Winding RoadThe Long And Winding RoadDevin VelezBuy on iTunes
I WillI WillJanelle ArthurBuy on iTunes

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/american-idol-sings-the-beatles-download-now/

Grimm Review: Enter, Mr. Sandman

"Mr. Sandman" didn’t bring any dreams or cute things to Portland.

This is Grimm, after all. Why bring dreams when you can bring death and blindness?

The case of the week proved to be one of the greater investigations of Grimm Season 2. The idea of a man stealing the sight of people who are in periods of grief and, literally, having them lose their way all so he can find his own is pretty compelling.

Finding a New Wesen

It’s a metaphor not only for the case, but also where Grimm is at this point in its story arcs. Almost every element was accounted for: Juliette is experiencing grief over her forgotten memories or fearing what she just can’t seem to remember. Team Nick is doing its best to figure out where it fits in to Renard’s master plan, as it speculated around the dinner table, but sometimes they’re just going into things blindly.

Hopefully the metaphor ends before the stabbing.

The more thought-provoking development of the case was the precedent it potentially sets for Nick as a Grimm. When Andre blinded Nick, his sense of hearing overcompensated; and even after the cure, his heightened hearing remained. It opens up the idea of Grimms being able to absorb or inherit abilities from other Wesen in certain situations, and it’ll also come in handy when Renard talks to his brother or whispers on the phone.

Adalind is still in Vienna, and still very much pregnant. The only difference now is she’s unsure of who the father is: Renard or his brother. No matter who ends up being the father, Adalind secured herself a piece of the Wesen good life by carrying a royal.

Finally, there’s Juliette. Her hallucinations are beginning to take shape, in Nick form no less. It reminds me of an episode of The OC when Che took Seth to the woods to find his spirit animal. Anyways, if these hallucinations are indeed Juliette’s spirit animal, it is high time he leads her right back to her memories.

I’m wondering if the key to making sure Renard can break free of Juliette’s pull is also tied to her memories because, as we saw in his dream, Renard still has some infatuation with Juliette.

A Few More Thoughts:

  • That looked more like a spork to me than a spoon.
  • Love when the medical examiners pops in for a case.
  • Rosalee is quickly becoming my favorite Nick sidekick.
  • NBC, your massive ads during shows for your upcoming shows is getting out of hand. I love Revolution and The Voice, but I don’t need to see Charlie running across my screen or watch the chairs swivel in every day.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/grimm-review-enter-mr-sandman/

Beauty and the Beast Preview & Clip: Tess vs. Cat!

Our TV Fanatic review made it as clear as can be: Beauty and the Beast just keeps getting better and better.

How will this ever-improving CW drama follow up on "Insatiable?" By pitting partner against partner in the aptly-titled "Partners in Crime."

Look for Tess to confront Cat next Thursday, and for the former to admit things to her friend in order to salvage their relationship. Watch the official network teaser now:

In the following sneak peek, meanwhile, Gabe will grow suspicious of everyone in the department, specifically the aforementioned duo.

And he won't be satisfied until he gets some answers, as you can see here:

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/beauty-and-the-beast-preview-and-clip-tess-vs-cat/

Grey’s Anatomy Promo: Calm Down?!

Next week on Grey's Anatomy, a gas tanker explodes on a highway, resulting in multiple injuries.

Jo and Meredith try to help a frantic woman, whose child has a mysterious illness. Sarah Chalke (Scrubs) guest stars in the role, and from the looks of the promo below, it will be a powerful one.

Watch ABC's first preview for "Can't Fight This Feeling" and see what you think of it below:

It's the story "every mother needs to see." That teaser alone tells you how emotional it'll get.

Meanwhile, Alex is forced to work with Jo's boyfriend, which should be interesting and fun.

For a full rundown on all of last night's events (it's a boy!), read our Grey's Anatomy review of "Idle Hands." Then share your comments and predictions for next week with us below ...

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/greys-anatomy-promo-calm-down/

Scandal Preview: Dealing with the Devil

She went up against Cyrus on this week's episode of Scandal.

But Olivia Pope will partner with a different enemy on next Thursday's "Snake in the Garden," agreeing to work with Hollis Doyle after his daughter gets kidnapped and held for ransom.

Elsewhere, look for Olivia and Jake to take their relationship to that next level, while Cyrus is intent on getting back into the President's good graces and Mellie makes it clear to Fitz: he needs to make some changes.

Watch the ABC promo for this Scandal Season 2 installment now:

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/scandal-preview-dealing-with-the-devil/

Justified Round Table: "Decoy"

Drew Thompson may have been in US Marshal custody, but the Detroit mob wasn't ready to give up the chase. "Decoy" was an epic showdown between those protecting Drew and those that wanted him dead.

In this edition of the TV Fanatic Round Table, staff members Dan Forcella, Christine Orlando, Jim Garner, and Carla Day discuss the magnificient bantering, showdowns, and Bob's unexpected strength. 

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What will happen to Johnny now that his secret allegiance is out?
Dan: He will be forgiven by Boyd, feel a bit too comfortable, and then meet his maker at the most unlikely moment.

Jim: He may be joining Devil, we saw how it worked out for Devil to try and double cross Boyd.

Christine:  I'm with Dan on this one. Boyd will make him feel safe before taking him out ... or if he's smart he'll run, so to speak.

Carla: Boyd's got trouble all around him and will need all the help he can get. I wouldn't be surprised if he offers Johnny a deal for redemption. 

Justified RT Logo

What was your favorite scene from "Decoy"?
Dan: My favorite scene was definitely watching Tim Gutterson do his thing in circling the wagons.

Jim: I loved Raylan and Boyd discussing the Astronaut. It reminded me that they are very similar and just took different paths. 

Christine:  There were so many in this episode but I've got to go with my girl Ava. She kept her head, never let him bait her and then took her shot and ended up walking out the door.  That's my girl.

Carla: I've grown to love it whenever Tim is on the screen. He was brilliant and witty in his manipulation of Colt. 

Were you surprised by Bob's ability to hold strong while being pummeled?
Dan: Surprised?  Yes.  I was also excited, giddy, and especially proud.

Jim: Totally shocked by it. I take back what I've said about him in the past. Dan, you clearly saw more in him than I did.

Christine:  Absolutely.  Bob's the man. Who knew?  Even Raylan was forced to live up to his example.

Carla: Never would have guessed. I have a whole new respect for him. Bob proved that sometimes there's more to a person than you possibly imagine. I'm a bit in awe of him right now.

Who had the best banter and why? Tim and Colt? Raylan and Boyd? Bob's "Drewisms"? Or, Ava and Nick?
Dan: Oh this was definitely Tim and Colt.  How coy each was while chatting about the situation was fantastic.  I loved the Lt. Dan remark.

Jim: I really enjoyed Tim and Colt. But then Colt was in rare form when he turned lemons in to lemonade by tricking his mafia counterpart into giving him the rifle.

Christine:  Tim and Colt were awesome but I'm going to go with Raylan and Boyd. Somehow it feels like they're bantering when they're not even in the same room.  That's how well they know one another. I loved how they both made it to the high school and immediately started talking about the astronaut. Their relationship is what makes this show so special.

Carla: They were all outstanding. Tim and Colt was my favorite, but I have to give props to Bob for adding some humor to his pummeling. Drewbacca anyone?

On the our normal episode grading scale of 1-5, what do you give the Drew Thompson storyline?

Dan: I give it a 4.0. I thought it dragged on a bit too long, so it doesn't get the 5 that many Justified plots would, but it was still too good to give anything lower than a 4.

Jim: Giving it a solid 4. I enjoyed that Drew turned out to be someone we've known for a while and still likable in the end. 

Christine:  Overall, it was a pretty good mystery. I'll give it a 4. And I like Shelby. I hope he somehow survives all of this. I loved the end of this episode where Rachel's taking him out of Harlan by train. That just seemed perfect.

Carla: I agree with Dan that it went on a little too long. The last couple episodes though were highlights. And, the reveal that Shelby was Drew Thompson and he had redeemed himself throughout the years was a positive.

What will happen to Johnny now that his secret allegiance is out?
Dan: He will be forgiven by Boyd, feel a bit too comfortable, and then meet his maker at the most unlikely moment.

Jim: He may be joining Devil, we saw how it worked out for Devil to try and double cross Boyd.

Christine:  I'm with Dan on this one. Boyd will make him feel safe before taking him out ... or if he's smart he'll run, so to speak.

Carla: Boyd's got trouble all around him and will need all the help he can get. I wouldn't be surprised if he offers Johnny a deal for redemption. 

What is the biggest threat to Boyd and Ava now? The Detroit mob? Ellen May? Or, something else?
Dan: The biggest threat to Boyd and Ava is the frozen yogurt boom.  With another one popping up everywhere you look, how will their new Dairy Queen franchise stand a chance?

Jim: I would say YES ... Boyd and Ava are up to their ears in it and there is no telling what's going to pull them under.

Christine:  Oh come on Dan. How can anything compete with a Peanut Buster Parfait?  Although where Ellen Mae might be bought off with some ice cream, I doubt the same can be said for the Detroit mob.

Carla: With no sheriff in town, Ellen May probably won't be an immediate risk. The Detroit mob will make a point of making Boyd pay. It might be a good time for the couple to elope and go on a nice long honeymoon.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/justified-round-table-decoy/

League of Space Pirates – Elegant Universe

Elegant Universe League of SpacePirates (1)

Elegant Universe League of SpacePirates (5)

Elegant Universe League of SpacePirates (2)

Elegant Universe League of SpacePirates (3)

Elegant Universe League of SpacePirates (4)

Noah Scalin, the genius behind Skull-A-Day and many many other creative ventures, also happens to be a rockstar in the band, League of Space Pirates. Animated and directed by Georgiy Kuznetsov. This is their latest music video for the song Elegant Universe that follows the journey of the Detritus, the League of Space Pirates’ tour ship as it travels through uncharted territories, namely a human body.

Elegant Universe takes it name from the title of the seminal book on string theory by physicist Brian Greene. It is one of the two tracks on the new Book & Record single/comic book, which was released by the band earlier this month.

This action-packed book & record set includes TWO original songs by League of Space Pirates illustrated as comic stories on 16 full-color pages and ONE 7 inch 45 rpm record. Read along as you listen, following the record lyric for lyric and join the fight against Übercorp!

Buy the book & record set here!

 

NEWS UPDATE:
Skull-A-Day and Street Anatomy are teaming up to bring you Skull Appreciation Day 2013 in Chicago! More news to come!

Stay updated on all of our gallery shows/events by signing up for Your Daily Dose of Street Anatomy!

 

Source:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/streetanatomy/OQuC/~3/mDc7dWrn8DY/

The Vampire Diaries Round Table: "Because the Night"

A new alliance was formed.

A dozen witches perished.

And Lexi got screwed on the roof by Damon... twice!

In this edition of The Vampire Diaries Round Table, staffers Matt Richenthal, Dan Forcella, Miranda Wicker and Steve Marsi breakdown "Because the Night." Won't you pull up a virtual chair and join them?

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What was your favorite scene from the episode?
Matt: The opening. Psycho Killer, indeed! (Shameless Plug Alert: Visit our Vampire Diaries music section for even more from the episode!)

Dan: More of a moment: For some reason I was absolutely giddy at the way Rebekah smashed that one dude's head against the wall when he just so much as attempted to make a play at her. She is viciously attractive like that.

Miranda: Not a favorite scene, but a favorite quote: Caroline: "Do you even know how to read a map?" Klaus: "Yes, and do you know who taught me? My good friend Magellan."Oh, Snarky Klaus. You're better than Christmas.

Steve: Anything with Klaus and Caroline. I love their chemistry, even if it's more hateful and bitter than romantic these days.

Vampire Diaries Round Table logo

The teams have shifted. Who is now most likely to get the cure: Rebekah/Elena, Silas/Klaus or Damon/Stefan?
Matt: Wesley Snipes taught me to always bet on black. But a lesser known caveat to that advice? When it's not an option, think pink. I'm on Team Elena.

Dan: While I want the new dynamic duo of Elena/Rebekah to get to it, I'm on board with it being the Salvatore siblings. Why would you count them out?

Miranda: I'm going with Damon/Stefan. The brothers always come through when they work together, even if they have different ideas about how to make their plans work.

Steve: Silas and Klaus. While they'd be more entertaining as adversaries, clearly the most agile, gifted and powerful of supernatural creatures cannot be defeated when they screw over the rest of the league by teaming up. Just look at the Heat. 24 wins in a row! The joke is on us.

Did Lexi make a welcome return?
Matt: Not especially. The flashback offered little insight and really made Lexi look pretty bad, if you think about. All it took was one Damon line and stare for her to fall prey to his sexual advances? Granted, that would work on 99% of warm-blooded females. But I expected more from her.

Dan: Welcome? Sure. Memorable? Not really.

Miranda: At least we got an explanation as to why Damon killed her? I feel like she's become a Flashback Fairy and I find it incredibly unlikely that she would've fallen for Damon.

Steve: Not really. It felt like a gimmicky way to show more flashbacks and have Elena turn the tables on Damon, but that's it. Made for a fun episode, but not one of the season's best by a long shot.

Who would make the better boyfriend, Damon or Stefan?
Matt: Matt. He'd do all the work in the kitchen and he's gotta be close to owning his own Grill franchise by now, right?

Dan: The correct answer is always Damon. For as much as everyone thinks Stefan cares, Damon does just as much, and he does it while being hotter and funnier.

Miranda: It pains me to say thi...s but Stefan. Damon's a little too love-em-and-leave-em, I think. But it would certainly be hot for however long it lasted.

Steve: Depends what she's looking for. Both rippers, but one is reformed, the other unabashed. One is stable, the other unpredictable. One the epitome of love, dedication and emotional support, the other the embodiment of unbridled passion and lust. Who will she choose?! NOTE: This is basically the Vampire Diaries Season 1 synopsis.

Now that Silas is done with her, what role will Bonnie the Plot Device play next?
Matt: She'll join Rebekah and Elena in the search for Katherine. Not because she cares about the cure. Because she needs advice on how to do this whole plot device thing from somebody who knows.

Dan: Bonnie will play the role of the teenage witch who makes valiant attempts to be as annoying as possible so that the audience of the television show she is a character on has someone to despise. The Vampire Diaries wouldn't be the quality television program it is today without our need to sigh every time Bonnie comes on screen.

Miranda: She won't. Her dad will probably ship her off to Hogwarts and we won't see her for three episodes.

Steve: Wasting her life away in the Stoner Pit and doing the thing where her eyeballs turn 100 percent white just to freak out the other slackers and make them give her free cigarettes.

Do you like Elena's new hair?
Matt: Yes. I am with nearly 80% of TV Fanatics (as of this writing). The streaks suit her rebellious personality. And they are a bit less risque than last week when she actually went streaking, sort of, in front of Damon, Caroline and Stefan.

Dan: I'm not looking at her hair.

Miranda: I. Love. It. So much so that I pinned it as inspiration for my next hair appointment.

Steve: I was pleasantly surprised. I wasn't like, "oh, I need to live Tweet about #elenashair and Pin the s--t out of this right now," but I found myself liking it a lot more than when other stars attempt the random color streaks.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/the-vampire-diaries-round-table-because-the-night/

John Noble Previews "Eccentric" Character, Unique Appearance on The Good Wife

It hasn’t been all that long since we last saw John Noble grace our TV screens on the series finale of Fringe.

But the beloved actor will take on a new role Sunday night, coming on board The Good Wife Season 4 as Matthew Ashbaugh, an erratic and litigious attorney who is murdered early on in "Death of a Client."

Via flashbacks, Alicia will attempt to piece together who might have killed a man who unfortunately made many enemies.

The always gregarious Noble jumped on the phone with me this week to talk about the new role, as well as how he is adjusting to life post-Walter Bishop and Fringe...

John Noble on Fringe

TV Fanatic: When I first heard you were on The Good Wife, I thought ‘oh, this will be very different from Walter’ and after seeing it I thought ‘maybe this isn’t so different after all.’ Can you tell me about your character?
John Noble: Yeah, he’s kind of eccentric. Obviously very wealthy, eccentric guy who is very litigious and he’s constantly seeing himself as a victim and he continually sues people for simply trivial things like a dog barking and so there’s a whole lot of people that are extremely outraged for him doing this, but he does it anyway.

He went to the firm and is put up with Alicia and formed a real bond with her, frankly, and then became rather attached to her and continually went back with other issues. It was a terrific relationship to play. His attachment to this woman despite his extraordinary eccentric ways and the battle of him being attacked in courtrooms, it’s a fun character to play in this episode. This particular fellow has been killed and so Alicia is approached the police to say well, is there anyone that might want this man dead and she says “Oh, yes. Lots of people.”

TVF: He has an interesting way of playing some music when he’s in a room, right?
JN: Well, you know he walks around with a jam box. [laughs] He’s playing Bach the whole time. When he is done playing the song he starts it over again and the reason being that he thinks he’s going to bore the CIA to death because he felt they’re obviously listening to everything he does. ‘They’ll get sick of listening to me,’ he thinks, ‘so I’ll play these over and over again.’ And that thing is playing at all times when he’s onscreen.

TVF: How was it just stepping into the show?
JN: Oh, it was really wonderful. I’m a genuine admirer of the show and I think that the cast is outstanding. I mean, really fine actors and the writing has been constantly at a very high standard in my opinion. But I also had an advantage of knowing lots of people involved in the crew because a lot of those people were our crew in our first year with Fringe.

So in some way it was fantastic going back and seeing all these people that I’ve known quite intimately when I was there [in New York]. It was really quite wonderful going back to that situation and being back in New York again. So the whole experience was extremely comfortable and quite joyous catching up with all these people after four years or five years.

TVF: Are most of your scenes with Julianna Margulies or do you have any scenes with any of the other actors?
JN: No, all of the stuff was with Julianna. In one scene, Josh Charles, he’s a lovely bloke. I know Josh and respect him enormously. Within the scene, it was in such a way that my character didn’t even look at him so I can’t really say that I worked with Josh Charles even though we did a scene together. My character completely ignored him, didn’t even look to him. [laughs]

But Julianna is such an amazing actress, frankly, and we just had really good chemistry going. We certainly enjoyed working together. It was a very pleasant experience, really. She’s just a fantastic actress.

TVF: It’s too bad they gave you such a great character and then they killed him off right away, right?
JN: [laughs] It was so funny at the time. People said “Oh, you should come back.’ And I’d say ‘I can’t unless I can come back from the dead!’ But it was terrific. In some ways, it’s at the top of my wish list coming out of Fringe. My wife loves the show. She said ‘Oh, John, try and get onto The Good Wife, try to get onto The Good Wife.’ So we barely landed back in Australia and stopped to take a few deep breaths and I got the call. ‘Can you come back and do The Good Wife?’ So I came to them and now I’m going to go home and try and catch up on some of that break that I didn’t get at the end of the show.

TVF: Well, since you brought up Fringe, tell me now that a little time has passed since the final episode aired and you stopped shooting, how was it kind of settled in for you as far as just any emotions you’re feeling about the experience being over?
JN: You know, the main thing is that having been so intensely involved for five years, it’s kind of getting used to not being occupied on a daily basis with a complex character and obviously the hours and demands of shooting that type of show.

So it’s sort of at loose ends and jumping out of bed and expecting to be busy and then saying, ‘No, hang on…’ I’ve talked to a couple of the other cast members and that’s the reaction from them as well. It’s really quite strange coming off something that’s so intense and so involved.

Source:
http://www.tvfanatic.com/2013/03/john-noble-previews-eccentric-character-unique-appearance-on-the/

Dream Summer Course in Florence? Museum Studies: Museum Origins Course; Applications Due April 1

Via The Attic:

Museum Studies: Museum Origins Course
Summer Course for MAs or PhDs in Italy

--Do you ever wonder why people collect things?
--How did 15th century private desires to own collections lead to the museum as we know it today?
--Why is Florence, Italy, considered one of the birthplaces of the modern museum?
--Find out this summer in Museum Origins!

    June 10- August 3: An 8-week course that blends online learning with onsite investigation (in ITALY!) and scholarly research.

    Open to current graduate students and alumni of master's or Ph.D. programs in any field from any college or university

    Great for students in art, art history, literature, history, public history, anthropology, psychology, museum studies, library & information science, classics - all majors welcome!

    • First three weeks: Course readings and discussions online.
    • Middle two weeks: You go to "class" in museums in Italy.(How cool is
    • that?!)
    • Last three weeks: You write a research paper.
    • After the course: An experience that lasts a lifetime.
    • APPLY NOW! Applications are due April 1!

    And more, from the Kent State website

    Class limit: 15 participants
    Open to: Graduate students at any institution
    Alumni of any graduate program (master’s or Ph.D.)
    NOW ACCEPTING UPPER-DIVISION UNDERGRADUATES FROM ANY INSTITUTION, ANY MAJOR! 

    Itinerary in Florence:
    Morning: Visits to museums
    Afternoon: Discussions and lectures at Kent State Florence Palazzo de Cerchi

    Course Description
    While the collecting of objects can be found as far back as ancient times in various parts of the world, the birth of the modern museum finds its roots in Europe, especially in Italy. In the context of today’s world, students will “go back in time” to understand the origins of Western museums and the meaning of publicly shared collections through a series of competing dualisms in knowledge creation and organization. Students will explore the history of the modern museum and spend two weeks visiting actual sites and collections that played a role in this history. Exploring the past in this way is geared specifically to help today’s museum workers gain a better understanding of their own role and purpose in their community, society and nation.

    This course is part of a Museum Studies specialization within the Master of Library and Information Science degree at Kent State School of Library and Information Science. Museums, like libraries, are in the information business. The museum studies courses at Kent State employ a holistic approach to the study of museums as institutions that generate and perpetuate knowledge. Students will gain an understanding of museums in context as dynamic, interactive information systems composed of people, objects, and activities. Because the SLIS courses are structured within a library and information science framework, students are able to cut across the spectrum of traditional academic disciplines, which strengthens the skills of future museum professional by giving them a broader perspective, a larger knowledge base, and more flexibility. Students in the Museum Origins class do not need to be in the M.L.I.S. program, but should understand this unique approach to the discipline of museum studies.

    More here.

    Image: "The Tribuna degli Uffizi," Johann Zoffany, 1772-1779; found here. Click in image to see larger, more detailed version.Source:
    http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/2013/03/dream-summer-course-in-florence-museum.html

    Eric Franklin – Glowing Skulls

    franklinredskull

    franklinskullmetal

    franklinskeleton

    Eric Franklin is a Portland based artist who works with light and glass. His latest creations are glowing glass skulls made from “flameworked borosilicate glass, ionized neon and mercury, wood, electronics.”

    Previously, Franklin has created glass skeletons and other parts of the human body.

    You can see more of his work at ericfranklin.com.

     

    [via BuzzFeed]

     

    Source:
    http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/streetanatomy/OQuC/~3/N5A3jIXIAu4/

    Tom Thumb! Taxidermy, Hair Art and Bat Skeleton in Dome Workshops! Bartitsu Victorian Self Defense System Demonstration! Rest in Pieces Book Party! This Week and Beyond at Morbid Anatomy Presents

    Tom Thumb! Taxidermy, Hair Art and Bat Skeleton in Dome Workshops! Bartitsu-The Victorian Self Defense System Demonstration! Rest in Pieces Book Party! This Week and Beyond at Morbid Anatomy Presents.

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    General Tom Thumb, or, the Commercial Wonders of 19th-Century AmericaIllustrated Lecture with Matthew Wittmann, Curatorial Fellow at the Bard Graduate Center and author of Circus and the City: New York, 1793-2010
    Date: Tuesday, March 19
    Time: 8:00 PM
    Admission: $8
    Presented by Morbid Anatomy

    Charles Sherwood Stratton (1838-1883), better know to the world as General Tom Thumb, was a dwarf, an entertainer, and one of the most famous Americans of the 19th century. His success in the United States transformed the traditional exhibition of lusus naturae, or human wonders, into a flourishing commercial industry. This presentation explores what made the diminutive General such a sensation and traces his fascinating career from the boards of Barnum’s American Museum through his celebrated tour around the world.

    Matthew Wittmann is a Curatorial Fellow at the Bard Graduate Center, the author of Circus and the City: New York, 1793-2010 (BGC, 2012) and co-editor of The American Circus (Yale, 2012). He is a graduate of the Program in American Culture at the University of Michigan and is working on projects that range from popular entertainment to Pacific history. He blogs about these assorted interests at http://www.matthewwittmann.com.

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    Classic (Naturalistic) Mouse Taxidermy Class with Divya Anantharaman: Offsite at Acme Studio
    Date: Saturday, March 30
    Time: 1-5 PM
    Admission: $110
    ***Please note: This class will be held offsite at Acme Studio : 63 N. 3rd Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn
    Advance Tickets Required; Click here to purchase.
    Class limit: 10
    This class is part of the Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

    The natural world has long captivated human kind, and taxidermy has played a large role in our understanding and study of animals; the painstaking creation of life-like mounts take much attention and research, and requires and builds a deep appreciation of nature.

    In this class, Divya Anantharaman--who learned her craft under the tutelage of famed Observatory instructor Sue Jeiven--will lead students in an investigation into the humble mouse. Students will create a fully finished classic mount of a mouse, on a base and in the natural setting of their choice. Students will learn everything involved in producing a finished mount, from initial preparation, hygiene and sanitary measures, fleshing, tail stripping, and dry preservation. The use of anatomical study, reference photos, and detailed observation will also be reviewed as important tools in recreating the nuanced poses and expressions that magically reanimate a specimen. Students are welcome to bring their own bases and accessories if something specific is desired. All other supplies will be provided for use in class.

    Each student will leave class with a fully finished piece, and the knowledge to create their own pieces in the future.

    Divya Anantharaman is a Brooklyn based artist whose taxidermy practice was sparked by a lifelong fascination with natural mythology and everyday oddities. After a journey filled with trial and error, numerous books, and an inspiring class (Sue Jeiven's popular Anthropomorphic Mouse Taxidermy Class at Observatory!), she has found her calling in creating sickly sweet and sparkly critters. Beginning with mice and sparrows, her menagerie grew to include domestic cats, woodchucks, and deer. Recently profiled on Vice Fringes, the New York Observer, and other publications, she will also be appearing in the upcoming season of Oddities-and is definitely up to no good shenanigans. You can find out more at http://www.d-i-v-y-a.com
    Also, some technical notes:

    • We use NO harsh or dangerous chemicals.
    • Everyone will be provided with gloves.
    • All animals are disease free.
    • Although there will not be a lot of blood or gore, a strong constitution is necessary; taxidermy is not for everyone
    • All animals were already dead, nothing was killed for this class.
    • Please do not bring any dead animals with you to the class.

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    Class: The Victorian Art of Hair Jewelry with Art Historian and Master Jeweler Karen Bachmann
    Date: Sunday, April 7
    Time: 1-5 PM
    Admission: $75
    ***Must RSVP to Laetitia [at] atlasobscura.com to be added to class list; 15 person limit
    This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

    Hair jewelry was an enormously popular form of commemorative art that began in the late 17th century and reached its zenith during the Victorian Era. Hair, either of someone living or deceased, was encased in metal lockets or woven to enshrine the human relic of a loved one. This class will explore a modern take on the genre.

    The technique of "palette working" or arranging hair in artful swoops and curls will be explored and a variety of ribbons, beads, wire and imagery of mourning iconography will be supplied for potential inclusion. A living or deceased person or pet may be commemorated in this manner.

    Students are requested to bring with them to class their own hair, fur, or feathers; all other necessary materials will be supplied. Hair can be self-cut, sourced from barber shops or hair salons (who
    are usually happy to provide you with swept up hair), from beauty supply shops (hair is sold as extensions), or from wig suppliers. Students will leave class with their own piece of hair jewelry and the knowledge to create future projects.

    Karen Bachmann is a fine jeweler with over 25 years experience, including several years on staff as a master jeweler at Tiffany and Co. She is a Professor in the Jewelry Design Dept at Fashion Institute of Technology as well as the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute. She has recently completed her MA in Art History at SUNY Purchase with a thesis entitled Hairy Secrets:... In her downtime she enjoys collecting biological specimens, amateur taxidermy and punk rock.

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    Bartitsu-The Victorian Self Defense System: A lecture and Demonstration by The Bartitsu Club of New York and Ghoul A Go Go’s Vlad Tsepis
    Date: Sunday April 7th
    Time: 8.00
    Admission: $10
    Presented by Morbid Anatomy and the Bartitsu Club Of New York

    Bartitsu was a Victorian system of self defense. Taught in the late 1890s, it is regarded by some as the first mixed martial arts system. Originally learned by gentlemen, and gentle women, as a way to fend off footpads and other thugs of the day, Bartitsu is now seeing a revival.

    The Bartitsu Club of New York is gearing up for a Spring seminar and invites you to Observatory for a preview. Introduced by Vlad Tsepis of Ghoul A Go-Go, the Bartitsu Club will present a basic introduction to Bartitsu and its founder, as well as the historical background of self defense in Victorian England. Some techniques will be demonstrated as a prelude to what you can learn more in depth. You will leave knowing "an excellent method of forcing an undesirable person out of your room."

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    Raccoon Head Taxidermy Class with Rogue Taxidermist Katie Innamorato

    Date: Sunday, April 14
    Time: 12 – 6 PM
    Admission: $350
    ***Class Limited to 5; Must RSVP to katie.innamorato [at] gmail.com
    This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

    This course will introduce students to basic and fundamental taxidermy techniques and procedures. Students will be working with donated raccoon skins and will be going through the steps to do a head mount. The class is only available to 5 students, allowing for more one on one interaction and assistance. Students will be working with tanned and lightly prepped skin; there will be no skinning of the animals in class. This is a great opportunity to learn the basic steps to small and large mammal taxidermy. All materials will be supplied by the instructor, and you will leave class with your own raccoon head mount.

    Rogue taxidermist Katie Innamorato has a BFA in sculpture from SUNY New Paltz, has been featured on the hit TV show "Oddities," and has had her work featured at La Luz de Jesus gallery in Los Angeles, California. She is self and professionally taught, and has won multiple first place ribbons and awards at the Garden State Taxidermy Association Competition. Her work is focussed on displaying the cyclical connection between life and death and growth and decomposition. Katie is a member of the Minnesota Association of Rogue Taxidermists, and with all M.A.R.T. members she adheres to strict ethical guidelines when acquiring specimens and uses roadkill, scrap, and donated skins to create mounts.
    Her website and blogs-
    http://www.afterlifeanatomy.com
    http://www.afterlifeanatomy.tumblr.com
    http://www.facebook.com/afterlifeanatomy
    http://www.etsy.com/shop/afterlifeanatomy

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    Bat in Glass Dome Workshop
    Part of DIY Wunderkammer Series: With Wilder Duncan (formerly of Evolution Shop, Soho) and Laetitia Barbier, head librarian at The Morbid Anatomy Library

    With Wilder Duncan (formerly of Evolution Store, Soho) and Laetitia Barbier, head librarian at The Morbid Anatomy Library
    Date: Sunday, April 21
    Time: 1 – 6 PM
    Admission: $200
    *** MUST RSVP to Laetitia [at] atlasobscura.com 
    This class is part of the DIY Wunderkammer Series and The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

    In this class, students will learn how to create an osteological preparation of a bat in the fashion of 19th century zoological displays. A bat skeleton, a glass dome, branches, glue, tools, and all necessary materials will be provided for each student, but one should feel welcome to bring small feathers, stones, dried flowers, dead insects, natural elements, or any other materials s/he might wish to include in his/her composition. Students will leave the class with a visually striking, fully articulated, “lifelike” bat skeleton posed in a 10” tall glass dome. This piece can, in conjunction with the other creations in the DIY Wunderkammer workshop series, act as the beginning of a genuine collection of curiosities!

    This class is part of the DIY Wunderkammer workshop series, curated by Laetitia Barbier and Wilder Duncan for Morbid Anatomy as a creative and pluridisciplinary exploration of the Curiosity Cabinet. The classes will focus on teaching ancient methods of specimen preparation that link science with art: students will create compositions involving natural elements and, according to their taste, will compose a traditio
    nal Victorian environment or a modern display. More on the series can be found here.

    Wilder Duncan is an artist whose work puts a modern-day spin on the genre of Vanitas still life. Although formally trained as a realist painter at Wesleyan University, he has had a lifelong passion for, and interest in, natural history. Self-taught rogue taxidermist and professional specimen preparator, Wilder worked for several years at The Evolution Store creating, repairing, and restoring objects of natural historical interest such as taxidermy, fossils, seashells, minerals, insects, tribal sculptures, and articulated skeletons both animal and human. Wilder continues to do work for private collectors, giving a new life to old mounts, and new smiles to toothless skulls.

    Laetitia Barbier is the head librarian at The Morbid Anatomy Library. She is working on a master's thesis for the Paris Sorbonne on painter Joe Coleman. She writes for Atlas Obscura and Morbid Anatomy.

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    A Fate Worse Than Death: The Perils of Being a Famous Corpse with Bess Lovejoy, Author of Rest in Pieces
    With Bess Lovejoy, author of Rest in Pieces
    Date: Friday, April 26th
    Time: 8pm
    Admission: $10
    Presented by Morbid Anatomy & Phantasmaphile

    Most of us know what our afterlives are going to be like: eternity in the ground, or resting in an urn on some relative’s mantelpiece. If we’re lucky, our children might occasionally bring us flowers or a potted plant, and that’s about as interesting as things are going to get.

    Not so the famous deceased. For millennia, they’ve been bought and sold, worshipped and reviled, studied, collected, stolen, and dissected. They’ve been the star attractions at museums and churches, and used to found cemeteries, cities, even empires. Pieces of them have languished in libraries and universities, in coolers inside closets, and in suitcases underneath beds. For them, eternity has been anything but easy.

    The more notable or notorious the body, the more likely it is that someone’s tried to disturb it. Consider the near-snatching of Abraham Lincoln, or the attempt on Elvis’s tomb. Then there’s Descartes, who is missing his head, and Galileo, who is spending eternity without his middle finger. Napoleon’s missing something a bit lower, as is the Russian mystic Rasputin, at least if the rumors are true. Meanwhile, Jesse James has had three graves, and may not have been in any of them, while it took a court case and an exhumation to prove that Lee Harvey Oswald was in his.
    In this illustrated lecture, Bess Lovejoy will draw on her new book, Rest in Pieces, to discuss the many threats faced by famous corpses--from furta sacra ("holy theft" of saintly relics), to skull-stealing phrenologists, "Resurrection Men" digging up cadavers for medical schools, modern organ harvesters, the depredations of crazed fans, and much more.

    Rest in Pieces will also be available for sale, and wine will be served in celebration of its release.

    Bess Lovejoy
    is a writer, researcher, and editor based in Seattle. She writes about dead people, forgotten history, and sometimes art, literature, and science. Her writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Believer, The Boston Globe, The Stranger, and other publications. She worked on the Schott’s Almanac series for five years. Visit her at BessLovejoy.com.

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    Class: The Victorian Art of Hair Jewelry with Art Historian and Master Jeweler Karen Bachmann 
    Date: Sunday, June 2
    Time: 12-4 PM
    Admission: $75
    ***Must pre-order tickets here: http://victorianmourningjewelry.bpt.me
    This class is part of The Morbid Anatomy Art Academ

    Hair jewelry was an enormously popular form of commemorative art that began in the late 17th century and reached its zenith during the Victorian Era. Hair, either of someone living or deceased, was encased in metal lockets or woven to enshrine the human relic of a loved one. This class will explore a modern take on the genre.

    The technique of "palette working" or arranging hair in artful swoops and curls will be explored and a variety of ribbons, beads, wire and imagery of mourning iconography will be supplied for potential inclusion. A living or deceased person or pet may be commemorated in this manner.

    Students are requested to bring with them to class their own hair, fur, or feathers; all other necessary materials will be supplied. Hair can be self-cut, sourced from barber shops or hair salons (who are usually happy to provide you with swept up hair), from beauty supply shops (hair is sold as extensions), or from wig suppliers. Students will leave class with their own piece of hair jewelry and the knowledge to create future projects.
    Karen Bachmann is a fine jeweler with over 25 years experience, including several years on staff as a master jeweler at Tiffany and Co. She is a Professor in the Jewelry Design Dept at Fashion Institute of Technology as well as the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute. She has recently completed her MA in Art History at SUNY Purchase with a thesis entitled Hairy Secrets:... In her downtime she enjoys collecting biological specimens, amateur taxidermy and punk rock. 
    ____________________________________________________

    You can find out more on all events hereSource:
    http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/2013/03/tom-thumb-taxidermy-hair-art-and-bat.html

    Cimitero delle Fontanelle and "The Neapolitan Cult of the Dead" or "The Neapolitan Skull Cult" of Naples, Italy

    Whilst in Naples recently, I spent many hours exploring and photographing the enigmatic and fascinating Cimitero delle Fontanelle, epicenter of what is known as "The Neapolitan Cult of the Dead," or "The Neapolitan Skull Cult." In this vast underground ossuary you will find, among the usual piles of bones, tiny stuctures--some with text engraved, others draped in rosaries and embellished with prayer cards--enshrining chosen skeletal bits. To the uninitiated, their meanings are unclear.
    One invaluable source in trying to decipher the meaning here was the work of author/scholar/photographer Paul Koudounaris of Empire of Death fame; he explains the cult thusly in his Fortean Times article "Sisterhood of the Skulls" (excerpted below; click here to read article in its entirety):

    ...One of [Naples'] greatest enigmas was a strange cult, composed almost exclusively of elderly women who communed with the dead, lavishing their attention on, and even making offerings to, human skulls.

    The cult was centred on a cemetery known as the Fontan­elle... A curious cult dedicated to the remains began to evolve around the site, especially after 1872. In that year, Father Gaetano Barbati had large deposits of bones exhumed, and the skulls were cleaned and placed on racks or in troughs, where they took on the role of devotional items for this death-obsessed group. There was no formal organisation to this cult, but it rapidly grew popular with older women, especially widows or those with little or no family. They claimed to receive messages from the deceased in their dreams, and would then “adopt” whichever skull they believed had belonged to the spirit that had contacted them, becoming in effect a kind of caretaker of not just the remains but also the soul of the dead person. They would clean and care for their skulls, even constructing engraved marble shrines for them. These boxes might enclose a single skull, or multiples if the same person adopted more than one.

    Cult devotees would bring flowers and gifts as offerings for their chosen crania, and address them by name. The dead at the Fontanelle were of course anonymous, but this army of old ladies claimed the skulls would reveal their true names to their benefactors. In return for this doting care, the deceased would grant favours to their devotees, who would petition the skulls for assistance in a variety of forms – through dreams, direct conversation, various forms of telepathy, or by writing their requests on small slips of paper, which would be rolled up and inserted into the skulls’ eye sockets.

    The shrines in which adherents housed their adopted charges were frequently inscribed with messages thanking the skulls for various favours or services; usually the inscriptions were simple, something along the lines of “Per Grazie Recev­uta” (thanks for what was given). But they could be more elaborate, even containing names. The inscribed names were not those of the deceased, however, but rather those of the skulls’ benefactors. Th
    e devotees were highly possessive of their skulls, and the shrines were not intended solely to show gratitude to the deceased, but also to mark a specimen as having been adopted, a sign to potential rivals that they should find their own skull and not commune with remains which were already spoken for. Some of the boxes even included doors with locks and chains, as some people didn’t want anyone else to be able even to look upon their skulls...

    The members of the “necrophiliac” group based on the Fontanelle were not so interested in these more orthodox types of religious sentiment, however. Their devotions were primarily inspired by a different and surprising mechanism: lottery numbers. One might beseech the dead for any number of favours, but the typical requests made of the skulls at the Fontanelle, on which all this devotion was lavished, centred on an obsessive desire for precognition of winning lottery numbers...

    The aid of the bones would also be beseeched when family and friends were ill, or to help with various dom­estic problems. One skull, considered to be “public property,” was understood to aid infertile women. Young women who could not bear children were encouraged to come to the cemetery and caress it – with the consequence that it became the most smoothly polished skull in the ossuary, as generat­ions of women rubbing it over in the hopes of getting pregnant left it, even today, with an almost supernatural sheen. Another skull is enshrined in a box inscribed with the owner’s thanks, and the date “6 September, 1943”. In fact, that was the date of the heaviest allied bombing of Naples in the war. During air raids, the Fontanelle became a makeshift bomb shelter, especially for devotees of the site who found strength and hope in the presence of their adopted skulls. As the bombs fell on 6 September, someone apparently begged a particular skull for protection, and attributed her own survival to its powers, rewarding it with a shrine.... 

    As far as the Roman Catholic Church was concerned, the cult based on the Fontanelle was wholly unacceptable. If this was all just superstition, it had degenerated into a form of heathen fetishism, and if any of the stories about mysterious occult happenings were true then it was something even worse. The Church became convinced that the place would have to be shut down; the only surprise is that, perhaps fearing a local backlash, it took them until 1969 to actually do it, when Card­inal Corrado Ursi ordered the premises perm­anently closed. The Fontanelle languished after its closure, and by now most of the devotees of the site have passed on and become what they once adored. For brief periods, it has been open for tourism, but even that is no longer permitted, and it now receives few visitors – mostly just scholars and VIPs. “But we do get some Satanists who break in and hold Black Masses down here, and we have to chase them out,” Alamaro acknowledges...

    Another source for getting deeper into this enigmatic practice--especially the pagan/Catholic aspects, which particularly intrigued me-- was the article "The Fontanelle Cemetery and the Skull Cult in Contemporary Naples," sent to me by Sicilian anthropologist Dario Piombino-Mascali, his co-contribution (with Albert Zink) to the exhibition catalog Schädelkult: Kopf und Schädel in der Kulturgeschichte des Menschen. Following is an excerpt from that article via Google Translate (from the German); I did my best to streamline the text into something readable; when I was not sure of the meaning, I kept the original Google Translated text in quotes.

    In the Campania region of Italy, traces of a cult with roots in pre-Christian beliefs has been preserved. The so called Skull Cult is a merger of the ancient with the Catholic religion; it exists independently of the official faith, with its own principles and values. Every Monday--a day once dedicated to Hecate, goddess of the moon and mistress of the underworld--believers descend to the tombs and ossuaries of the city. The process is a vestige of pagan heritage.
    The most obvious manifestation of this takes place at the Fontanelle Cemetery, located in an ancient tuff mine in the historic Sanità district, very close to a pagan and later Christian Cemetery...

    Visitors to the Fontanelle Cemetery these days are touched by the immense quantity of bones and skulls, or capuzzelle in the Neapolitan dialect. There are the human remains, the cult of the skull, the culto delle capuzzelle, the Fontanelle Cemetery and at other Tombs of the city alive.

    These anonymous skulls embody the idea of ??the the souls in purgatory, whose worship is a Neapolitan folk rite is of great importance. Believers think of them as mediating between the world of the here and the hereafter. Prayers are dedicated to the abandoned souls, popularly called le Anime Pezzentelle, in order to alleviate their pain, in exchange for promises of a returned help to the prayer. The believer thus concludes with the anima pezzentella an agreement that compassion and obligations to the other presupposes and is based on a shared sense of still determines the actions of the Neapolitans.

    Anonymous Souls to help make as if it is their own nationals would act, they are in fact the male morti, the poor Dead, where the faithful allow refrisco - a relief from their suffering through prayer. It is generally noted that the skull cult always begins the same way: a worshipper chooses her soul of a dead person "Intercessor on earth made by him in a dream and the will Situation of the skull inside the cemetery reveals " In this way will create a physical adoption of the capuzzella instead. The phenomenon of skull adoption occurs first between the two world wars; the skull is cleaned placed in display cases that range from boxes to fruit boxes or cookie jars from. The skull is treated as care and prayer objects, in turn, promised the believer grace, prayers or even luck.

    In the showcases were also messages and "Votivbildchen", a process that very close to the veneration of saints occurs. Oral sources suggest that the skull cult began in 1709 after the body of the Holy Candida, an early Christian martyr from Naples, was buried together with the remains of another anonymous and forgotten "geratenen" found early Christians. While the souls of the heavenly spheres were traditionally considered unreachable, those in purgatory was perceived as relatively close, as purgatory represented the lowest level on the way to paradise and therefore nearer the earthly sphere. By worshiping the anonymous skull a direct contact with death was attempted. "Worship cult that was the foundation of a Community Ethics and solidarity with the most vulnerable in society." On Earth, the needy were the lively correspondence with the Le Anime Pezzentelle, as in the case of the so-called poor St. Januarius, the patron saint of Naples, who had the task of accompanying funeral processions. Thus, a connection between  the living and the dead were created, by their common traits "Ausgegrenztsein her and her neediness" - the disinherited of this world to which deputies are allowed to ask for help from those in the next life

    "The skull, or capuzzelle, are symbolic of individuals who died a cruel death. It is therefore likely that men who dies in the plague most worshiped. In 1685 Father Domenico D'Alessandro writes from Dominican order, nothing more solvent from divine wrath as the failure to assistance to the souls in purgatory. It is therefore necessary, both to souls in purgatory to gain relief and the poor of the earth to give alms, for the the latter are, as already mentioned, the deputy for the dead."

    If y
    ou want to know more, you can visit the Morbid Anatomy Library to spend some good time with the wonderful book/exhibition catalog Schädelkult: Kopf und Schädel in der Kulturgeschichte des Menschen, recently donated by longtime friend of the library Ryan Matthew Cohn. If you are in and around London, I also invite you to come out on June 10th to see filmmaker Chiara Ambrosio speak on the Neapolitan Cult of the Dead as part of the lecture series I am organizing at The Last Tuesday Society taking place this June and July; more her lecture here, and on the entire series here. You can also read Paul Koudounaris' entire article "Sisterhood of the Skulls" by clicking here, or check out his invaluable (and beautiful) book Empire of Death by clicking here.

    All photos are my own; you can see many more images from the Cimitero delle Fontanelle by clicking here or here.

    Source:
    http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/2013/03/cimitero-delle-fontanelle-and.html

    Museo di Anatomia Patologica dell’Universitá degli Studi di Firenze : Italy Trip Guest Post by Evan Michelson, TV’s "Oddities" and Morbid Anatomy Library

    Following, please find one more guest post in which Evan Michelson (2nd photo, right hand side) of "Oddities" fame documents our recent trip through Italy researching the history of the preservation and display of the human corpse.
    Here, her response to the amazing Florence pathology museum, or the "Museo di Anatomia Patologica dell'Universitá degli Studi di Firenze"; interestingly, the fine and senstivie pathological waxes you see here were made in the early 19th century by the la Specola workshop, which also brought us Clemente Susini's unforgettable Anatomical Venuses:

    The Museo di Anatomia Patologica dell'Universitá degli Studi di Firenze is a happy example of a newly-renovated, early anatomical collection that has been well loved and cared for. The waxes, osteological preparations and wet specimens are all housed in their original, highly ornamental wood and glass display cases, making the place seem more like a treasury than a didactic collection of pain, healing and preserved suffering. Indeed some of the small, ornately jarred specimens, with their delicately handwritten labels are nearly indistinguishable from sacred relics.

    The history of this collection goes back to 1824, with the founding of the Medical Society in Florence. It was always intended as a teaching tool for the medical students at the university, and the wax models here are some of the most beautiful examples of the ceroplast's art. The casts were individually commissioned by the anatomy professors and executed by some of the most renowned wax workers of Florence. The result is a 3D catalogue of benign and cancerous tumors, burns, venereal infections, abnormal growths and congenital birth defects, all rendered with the greatest loving care and verisimilitude. The full-sized wax leper could be a saint in any church, his suffering as profound as any wax Christ.

    Our guide Gabriella Nesi (2nd image, left; a professor of pathology who has taken the museum under her wing) was particularly eager to point out the models of before-and-after facial reconstructive surgeries, which demonstrated the progress of 19th century plastic surgery by recording not only the sutures and healing wound sites, but the more subtle details like post-surgical stubble on a shaved head. The results are strangely intimate, and we were surprised to learn that many of these models were not only cast from actual patients, but that the museum still has most of the case histories. It is rare to know the story behind any given wax medical model - once a thing has a name, it all becomes unavoidably real.

    Although the wax models themselves are breathtaking, it was the presentation of some of the smaller waxes, housed in delicate paper and glass boxes, that drew our attention. These preparations, although clearly intended for a scientific audience, utilize the decorative, visual language of spiritual offerings. Indeed, many of the wax modelers of the 19th century functioned in both the religious and the didactic realm, and the result is a transcendent form of visual art that straddles the spiritual and the scientific, lending the anatomy itself an air of great mystery.

    You can find out more about the museum by
    clicking here; you can see more photos by clicking here or here. You can read future posts by Evan both on this blog and on her Facebook page, which you will find by clicking here. All photographs are my own. Click on images to see larger version.

    Source:
    http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/2013/03/museo-di-anatomia-patologica.html

    Dream Shop: Nautilus Antiques, Modena, Italy

    Above are a few photos from Evan and I's recent pilgrimage (and, in Evan's case, epic buying trip) to the wonderful Nautilus Antiques of Modena, Italy. This shop--which had us enrapt for over an hour-- felt a bit like what I imagine Obscura Antiques might look like if it had easy access to the European antiquities such as skull reliquaries, wunderkammer trinkets, ancient taxidermy, and medical museum discards.

    In the top image, you can see my travel companion Evan Michelson posing with Alessandro Molinengo, co-owner of Nautilus and recent guest poster to this blog (post 1, post 2); the second image down features Fausto Gazzi, his business partner. Both are posing with a favorite artifact for sale in the shop; in Alessandro's case, a taxidermied freak pig preparation and, in Fausto's case, a wax mannequin head by, in his own words, "the Michelangelo of mannequins" Pierre Himans. All other images are installation shots of the shop.

    You can find out more about Nautilus by clicking here; you can "like" the shop on Facebook by clicking here. The shop is open on Saturdays from 3 until 7 PM or by appointment, and is located at via Cesare Battisti 60 in Modena, Italy.

    All images are my own. You can see more images by clicking here; Click on image to see larger, more detailed version.

    Source:
    http://morbidanatomy.blogspot.com/2013/03/nautilus-antiques-modena-italy.html