“The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini," Lecture by Rebecca Messbarger, New York Academy of Medicine, Jan. 19



Next Thursday, Rebecca Messbarger--author of the lovely and fascinating The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini--will be speaking at The New York Academy of Medicine about the life and work of this rare 18th century female anatomist and master wax modeller, whose wax self portrait--where she depicts herself in the act of dissecting a brain!--you see above.

Full details below; very much hope to see you there!

“The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini”
The 2012 Malloch Circle Lecture and Reception
Date: January 19, 2012
Time: 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Speaker(s): Rebecca Messbarger, PhD, Associate Professor of Italian, Washington University
Location: The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue at 103rd Street, New York, NY 10029

The Malloch Circle, a special group of friends who are interested in the history of medicine and support the historical programs at NYAM, is hosting a lecture about Anna Morandi Manzolini, an illustrious 18th century anatomical modeler. This is a special introduction to the Malloch Circle, whose members are invited to dinner events featuring presentations of historical and bibliographic interest, exhibitions of relevant notable rare books, and private behind the scenes tour of the Rare Book Room.

Anna Morandi Manzolini was an illustrious 18th century anatomical modeler who, with her husband, Giovanni Manzolini, held anatomy lessons in their Bologna home. The artistry and accuracy of her wax models made her widely known as a leader in the field, and brought powerful supporters, including the Royal Society of London, Doge Moccenigo of Venice, and Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II. Long forgotten, her story has been disinterred and developed through the research of Dr. Rebecca Messbarger. Professor Messbarger earned her PhD from the University of Chicago. She has been the recipient of fellowships from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the American Philosophical Society. She is director of undergraduate studies in Italian, founder and co-convener of the 18th Century Interdisciplinary Salon, and an executive board member of the Society for 18th Century Studies. Her most recent book The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini, examines the details of Morandi’s remarkable life, tracing her intellectual trajectory from provincial artist to internationally renowned anatomical wax modeler for the University of Bologna’s famous medical school.

The Friends of the Rare Book Room is a special group of contributors who for sixty years have supported public programs in the history of medicine, the acquisition and cataloging of historical scholarly material, and activities that make the Malloch Rare Book Room a center for scholarship in the history of medicine and public health and for the study of books and printing. The Malloch Circle is composed of special Friends of the Rare Book Room who support this work at a level of $1,000 annually. The Malloch Circle is named for Archibald Malloch, a protege of William Osler, who served as the Academy's Librarian from 1926 to 1949. The continuing support of the Malloch Circle will dramatically improve the library's efforts to enhance its collections through full cataloguing and archival processing, digitization, and conservation treatment. The Malloch Circle meets several times a year for dinner and conversation, with special presentations of bibliographical and historical interest, and for private tours of notable rare book collections.

Registration Information
Cost: $35

You can find out more--and order tickets!--by clicking here. To find out more about Rebecca Messbarger's book The Lady Anatomist: The Life and Work of Anna Morandi Manzolini, click here.

Image: Wax self-portrait of 18th-century wax modeler and anatomist Anna Morandi Manzolini dissecting a human brain; Palazzo Poggi, Bologna; found here.

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Theosophy, Spiritualism and Grand Central Station: Part 2 of Occult NYC with Mitch Horowitz on The Midnight Archive

A new episode of The Midnight Archive--the web-based documentary series centered around Observatory--has just been uploaded and can be viewed above. In this episode, we continue our occult tour of New York City with Mitch Horowitz, author of Occult America: White House Seances, Ouija Circles, Masons, and the Secret Mystic History of Our Nation and leader of our popular Observatory Occult Walking Tour. Part one of this piece can be viewed here.

Film maker Ronni Thomas--the creator of The Midnight Archive--has this to say about the episode:

EPISODE 08 : Occult NYC part 2 -- We return to NYC as Mitch Horowitz, Author of Occult America, takes us to some of the more mysterious places in this fine city. We'll learn about Madame Blavatsky's midtown occult salon, get some insight into Grand Central's mystic design, and in my case at least - become acquainted with the occult stylings of Fred F. French. Make sure to keep aware of Mitch's walking tour which is hosted by The Brooklyn Observatory and Pam Grossman. And don't forget to pick up Mitch's book at amazon.com.

For more on the series, to see former episodes, or to sign up for the mailing list so as to be alerted to future uploads, visit The Midnight Archive website by clicking here. You can also "like" it on Facebook--and thus be alerted--by clicking here.

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Giselle Vitali

Giselle Vitali

Giselle Vitali Mis Individuos

Giselle Vitali Mi Corazon

Giselle Vitali Mi Corazon

Giselle Vitali anatomy illustration

Giselle Vitali is a young Venezuelan Illustrator currently living in Barcelona, Spain.  Aside from creating the more traditional medical illustrations, Giselle takes anatomy into her more expressive art.  I love a medical illustrator that can go from accuracy to surrealism.

Giselle is currently doing a master’s degree in 3D modelling. She’s super talented for such a young illustrator and I look forward to seeing her work in the future.  Watch out for this one!

View more of Giselle’s work on Behance and her site, gvitali.es.

 

Source:
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Original Ellis Island Magic Lantern Slides from AMNH at Observatory Tomorrow Night!


Tomorrow night, Proteus Gowanus and Morbid Anatomy present at Observatory! Hope to see you there.

Projection of Original Ellis Island Lantern Slides from the Collection of The American Museum of Natural History & Meredith Monk Screening
Tuesday, January 3, 2012, 8pm
Observatory, 543 Union Street (enter via Proteus Gowanus Gallery)
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Tomorrow night, join Proteus Gowanus and The Morbid Anatomy Library for a projection of original lantern slides of Ellis Island immigrants from the collection of the American Museum of Natural History presented by Barbara Mathe, head of special collections at the museum library. Following, we will view a special screening of Meredith Monk’s short film, ‘Ellis Island’ (1981), performed and filmed in the island’s ruins before the start of renovations for the Ellis Island Museum, which opened in 1990. Ellis Island was the gateway for the majority of immigrants to the United States, processing over 12 million immigrants from 1892 until 1954.

More--including directions--can be found here.

Image: Ellis Island Portraits - Lapland children, possibly from Sweden; Sherman, Augustus F. (Augustus Francis) — Photographer. [ca. 1906-1914]; Source: William Williams papers / Photographs of immigrants (more info); found here.

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"Lunation: Art on the Moon" Opening Party, Observatory, This Saturday, January 7

This Saturday at Observatory we will he hosting the opening party for Lunation, our first group-curated show. Admission is free, and the art will be intriguingly wide-ranging. I have a few pieces in the show, as do many other familiar faces.

Full details follow; hope very much to see you there!

LUNATION
Art on the Moon
Observatory's first group-curated show • January 7 – February 26, 2012

Opening Party: This Saturday, January 7th, 7–10 PM, FREE
Closing Party/Observatory's 3rd Anniversary Fundraiser: Saturday, February 18th, 8 PM/$20
Show Viewing Hours: Thursday & Friday 3–6 PM, Saturday & Sunday 12–6 PM

Artists and scientists have always been attracted to the moon...
Our closest celestial neighbor, the earth’s little sister, the moon creates the tides and illuminates the woods at night. For centuries, humanity believed the moon provided a key into the invisible realm: it called out the beast within us, freeing us to act as wolves, to run, to dance, to chant—and sometimes (as in Duncan Jones’ Moon) to split in two, to find our double, our changeling moon-self.

Is the moon home to life? Today we know it isn’t, but even as of 1830, speculation was rampant that the moon was inhabited by Christianized bat-people who worshiped in great ziggurats. (See The Sun and the Moon by Observatory alumnus Matthew Goodman for details.) Still, life comes to the moon. We know the moon contains frozen water, and we dream of using it as our jumping-off point for visiting even more alien vistas.

Down here, despite all the prowess and nuance of our latest telescopes, earthlings still look up naked-eyed with excitement at the full moon. Lovers and children gaze up at its slowly blinking façade in mute wonder. Artists portray the moon as a source of danger and power, and latter-day sorceresses and men of magic call up to that heavenly lamp, seeking to transcend the ordinary night. For them, the old myths have not changed so much: the moon is still a secret mirror, showing in pale light how the familiar contains always an element of the unexpected...

Artists Included

LUNATION Dates to Save:

  • Sat., Jan. 7 – LUNATION opening! Come drink wine with us and celebrate the many phases/faces of the moon—including ones you've never seen before
  • Sat., Jan. 22 – Moon Magick ritual workshop presented by Pam Grossman of Phantasmaphile
  • Friday, Feb. 17: The Moon and Its Closest Inhabitants: A 3D Slideshow with 3D Legend Gerald Marks
  • Sat., Feb. 18 – 3rd Anniversary Observatory Fundraiser Party: Help support your favorite interdisciplinarian art, science, & occult event space!

You can find out more about Observatory--including directions--by clicking here.

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Street Anatomy Turns 4!

It’s officially been 4 years since Street Anatomy first launched and I never imagined it would come so far.  The dedicated audience, constant supportive feedback, and abundance of incoming anatomical links are really what has kept us going for so long!  We can’t thank our audience enough!

Plans for 2012:

  • Updated site design allowing users to create their own profiles and post content (woo hoo!)
  • New exhibition in Chicago celebrating female anatomy
  • More anatomical art in the Street Anatomy store
  • Dipping our feet into the art fair scenes

As a big thank you to everyone, we’re releasing a first edition Street Anatomy iPhone and iPad wallpaper with our freshly updated graffitied anatomical heart logo!

Street Anatomy iPad iPhone wallpaper free download

Select from the links below to download the wallpaper for your device.  I suggest connecting your iPhone/iPad to your computer and manually syncing the wallpapers to your device via iTunes to ensure the best quality.

 

Download Street Anatomy iPhone wallpaper (JPEG 896 KB)

Download Street Anatomy iPad wallpaper (JPEG 1.4 MB)

(Right click or option-click the links and choose “Save As…” to download these files)

 

Enjoy!

- Vanessa, Heather, mini-Vanessa, Aman, Jen, and Reed

 

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Lung Anatomy – Video

14-03-2011 08:53 http://www.nucleusinc.com This 3D medical animation begins with a detailed description of the anatomy and physiology of the lungs (Pulmonary system). It describes the pleura and diaphragm which aid in lung expansion. The animation also deals with lung cancer and the role of lymph in transporting bacteria, allergens and cancer cells away from the lungs and to the lymph nodes.

View post:
Lung Anatomy - Video

Michelle Anderst – An Elegant Collection of Data Points

Michelle Anderst Neural Electricity

Neural Electricity 16"x20", oil on canvas

Michelle Anderst Wall Architecture

Wall Architecture oil on canvas, 20"x26", collection of the artist

Michelle Anderst Maxillary Wallpaper

Maxillary Wallpaper 10x10, oil on canvas

Michelle Anderst The Waiting Room

The Waiting Room oil on canvas, 21" x 26"

Artist Michelle Anderst received her certificate in Natural Science Illustration but she says that anatomy takes center stage in her artwork.  Her pieces combine the natural and man-made gracefully.  I’m especially drawn to her anatomy and circuitry pieces.

Michelle says of her work;

I am currently using my illustrative style to form fictional but plausible unions of biological and man-made structures on canvas. In my studies of science, I have observed many structural similarities in nature which man has also used to achieve a similar function. One example of this is found in the end point of a circuit, called a lead, located on a computer board. This structure looks very similar to a nerve cell ending called a bouton. Both constructions serve the purpose of communicating electronic signals but one is built by man and the other occurs naturally. I paint wallpaper in my compositions to enhance and compare the elegance that I see in bones, veins and nerves. I would like viewers of my artwork to think about the patterns and beauty in these parts of our bodies instead of seeing them as a reference to death.

View more of Michelle’s fantastic work on her site, michelleanderst.com

 

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Dan Hillier

Dan Hillier Skulls

Dan Hillier Horse

Dan Hillier Diamonds Mine

Dan Hillier Bound

London-based artist, Dan Hillier, takes Victorian engravings and gives them his own flare via “dip-nib pen,” one of my favorite techniques back-in-the-day when I inked things by hand…or drew things for that matter.  Dan’s pieces are whimsical, bizarre, and unnatural, but that’s exactly why we are drawn to them.

You must view all of Dan’s work at danhillier.com and be sure to read the copy on his site, it’s a delight.

[spotted via the fabulous Anatomy UK]

 

Source:
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Vanitas Drawing Featuring Real Human Skeleton, With Classically Trained Artist Lado Pochkhua: Observatory, 6 Mondays Beginning Jan. 9


We have a new art class beginning on Monday, January 9th that I am very very excited about. Lado Pochkhua, an accomplished classically trained artist from Eastern Europe (see following bio) and artist in residence at our sister space Proteus Gowanus will, using a variety of artifacts drawn from The Morbid Anatomy Library, teach students to create and draw their own “vanitas”--or mortality-themed still life--compositions. The main star of said Vanitas composition will be the genuine human skeleton recently donated to the library, which you can see in the photograph above.

Full details follow; this is sure to be a awfully terrific class. Hope very much to see you there!

Vanitas Drawing Class with Classically Trained Artist Lado Pochkhua
Date: 6 Mondays, January 9th through February 13th
(Jan. 9, Jan. 16, Jan. 23, Jan. 30, Feb. 6 & Feb. 13)
Time: 7:30-10:00 PM
Admission: $110 (classes can also be taken individually on a drop-in basis for $20 per class)
*** This class has a 10 person size limit; Please RSVP for full course at morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com
This class is part of the Morbid Anatomy Art Academy

Vanitas is a genre of still-life painting that flourished in the Netherlands in the early 17th century. A vanitas painting contains collections of objects symbolic of the inevitability of death and the transience and vanity of earthly achievements and pleasures, exhorting the viewer to consider mortality and to repent.

This Vanitas course will comprise six drawing lessons in which, using artifacts drawn from The Morbid Anatomy Library, students will learn how to create and draw their own “vanitas” composition. The ultimate goal of the class will be not only the creation of this particular drawing, but also understanding of the principles of classical drawing. The instructor will also share historical images throughout the course.

No previous drawing experience necessary; all levels are welcome!

MATERIALS
Please bring with you to class:

  • One drawing pad at least 18" X 20" with a firm back; paper Fabriano or Arches, or Strathmore 400
  • Pencil: HB, 2B, 4B, simple graphite pencils, (no charcoal !!!)
  • Eraser

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR
Lado Pochkhua
was born in Sukhumi, Georgia in 1970. He received his MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Tbilisi State Art Academy in Georgia in 2001. He currently divides his time between New York and Tbilisi, Georgia.

Selected Exhibitions:

  • 2011 “Works from the Creamer Street Studio,” at the Literature Museum, Tbilisi Georgia (solo show)
  • 2010 “Paradise ” at Proteus Gowanus, New York
  • 2009 “Prague Biennale 4,” Georgian pavilion
  • 2009 “The Art of returning Home,” Arsi Gallery, Tbilisi Georgia (solo show)
  • 2008 Gardens, Ships, and Lessons, K. Petrys Ház Gallery, Budapest, Hungary (solo show) Exhibition of Georgian Artists, Festival OFF EUROPA ditorei Gallerie NBL, Leipzig, Germany
  • 2004 Artists of Georgia, Georgian Embassy, London, UK
  • 2003 Curriculum Vitae: a retrospective of 20th century Georgian art, Caravasla Tbilisi History Museum, Tbilisi, Georgia, Waiting for the Barbarians, Gallery Club 22, Tbilisi, Georgia (solo show)
  • 2001 21 Georgian Artists, UNESCO, Paris, France
  • 1998 Magical Geometry, TMS Gallery, Tbilisi, Georgia (solo show)

There is a 10 person limit for this class; you can sign up by sending an email to morbidanatomy [at] gmail.com. This class is one of the newest installments in the series newly termed The Morbid Anatomy Art Academy; to find out more about that--including a full class list thus far--click here.

Images: Top image: Still-Life with a Skull, "Vanitas" by Philippe de Champaigne (1602–1674) via Wikimedia; Bottom image: Skeleton from The Morbid Anatomy Library who will be featured in our Vanitas compositions

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Markered Anatomy

Anatomical by Sam doesthepope via Flickr

Brain by Flickr user doesthepope

Bleeding Eye by Flickr user doesthepope

Love the lines in these anatomical pieces by Flickr user doesthepope.  I admire the patience and meditation that goes into intricate, yet free-flowing linework.

If you ever find yourself stuck in a boring meeting or class, try doodling in this type of style.  It’s been found that doodling simple repetitive shapes or shading figures actually increases focus and recall.  Can’t get in trouble for that!

 

Source:
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Klaus Weber, If You Leave Me I’m Not Coming

Klaus Weber Photo By Jasper Rooms

Klaus Weber Photo By Jasper Rooms

Photos by Jasper Rooms

German artist Klaus Weber, has what looks like a fantastic exhibition, called If you leave me I’m not coming, going on through January 9th at the Nottingham Contemporary.  The exhibition, according to Nottingham Contemporary, takes on the natural world and our changing view of what is natural.

I can’t really tell from the photo, but I’m assuming the brain is cauliflower.

 

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Skeleton Typogram

Aaron Keuhn Skeleton Typogram

Aaron Keuhn Skeleton Typogram detail

Aaron Keuhn is a typographical manipulator who’s latest piece takes on the human skeleton in an easily digestible format.

From Keuhn,

Exo… Endo… Typo! Your life, your organism, your soft tissues but a puddle on the ground, if not for the ancient segmental structure of the Vertebrates. The original hard core is evolving for 400 million years now. Hominids, like you, are using the latest upright technology originating only 4 million years prior. Here it is, updated, and reconstructed in a 2 dimensional static representation of long-stride locomotion for your screen or paper! The component bones, ordinarily constructed with rigid mineralized tissues, have been entirely typo-grammatically replaced with 676 free and fused glyphs, together forming a complete skeletal diagram in Latin.

 

[spotted by Mr. Nick Hahn]

 

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Mel Gordon on The Grand Guiginol: Theatre of Fear and Terror: Episode 8 of The Midnight Archive!


Episode eight of The Midnight Archive--the web-based documentary series centered around Observatory--has just been uploaded and can be viewed above. This episode is one I am personally very excited about; it is based on the work of my all-time favorite rogue-scholar Mel Gordon, specifically on his research into The Grand Guignol as explored in his classic Grand Guiginol: Theatre of Fear and Terror. It was shot in The Morbid Anatomy Library the night of his recent Observatory lecture on the same topic and features dozens of amazing images and even film footage (!!!) of a circa 1960s Grand Guignol performance, as well as a fascinating conversation with Mel Gordon. Check it out (highly recommended!) by hitting play above, or by clicking here.

Film maker Ronni Thomas--the creator of The Midnight Archive--has this to say about The Grand Guignol:

I have to admit - before i began this whole thing - i had no idea what the Grand Guignol theater was... I was raised on a magnificent diet of blood and gore as a kid. (For Christ's sake - i gave up my career as an adjunct professor to work for less than minimum wage at Troma films...) But - as always - the unsung bastard of this artform was a sleazy theatre in paris where eyes were gouged out - faces were burnt off - and torturous agony was displayed before some of the wealthiest and most affluent aristocrats while visiting the fabulous city of blights... (lights). In this episode - Mel Gordon - the man who LITERALLY wrote the book on the Grand Guignol gives us a brief explanation of what it was and what it meant to society, the world and all those other things i could care less about... I knew nothing about the theater before i started this as i've stated - and i've learned about 3 minutes more than that as i hope you will... enjoy... and please consider chopping up your neighbor as a fun tribute.

For more on the series, to see former episodes, or to sign up for the mailing list so as to be alerted to future uploads, visit The Midnight Archive website by clicking here. You can also "like" it on Facebook--and thus be alerted--by clicking here.

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