Malleable Anatomies: Models, Makers, and Material Culture in Eighteenth-Century Italy (The Past and Present Book Series)

Malleable Anatomies offers an account of the early stages of the practice of anatomical modeling in mid-eighteenth-century Italy. It investigates the "mania" for anatomical displays that swept the Italian peninsula, and traces the fashioning of anatomical models as important social, cultural, and political as well as medical tools. Over the course of the eighteenth century, anatomical specimens offered particularly accurate insights into the inner body. Being colored, soft, malleable, and often life-size, they promised to foster anatomical knowledge for different audiences in a delightful way. But how did anatomical models and preparations inscribe and mediate bodily knowledge? How did they change the way in which anatomical knowledge was created and communicated? And how did they affect the lives of those involved in their production, display, viewing, and handling? Examining the circumstances surrounding the creation and early viewing of anatomical displays in Bologna and Naples, Malleable Anatomies addresses these questions by reconstructing how anatomical modeling developed at the intersection of medical discourse, religious ritual, antiquarian and artistic cultures, and Grand Tour display. While doing so, it investigates the development of anatomical modeling in the context of the diverse worlds of visual and material practices that characterized the representation and display of the body in mid-eighteenth-century Italy. Drawing attention to the artisanal dimension of anatomical practice, and to the role of women as both makers and users of anatomical models, it considers how anatomical specimens lay at the center of a composite world of social interactions, which led to the fashioning of modelers as anatomical celebrities. Moreover, it examines how anatomical displays transformed the proverbially gruesome practice of anatomy into an enthralling experience that engaged audiences' senses. Cover 1 Malleable Anatomies: Models, Makers, and Material Culture in Eighteenth-Century Italy 4 Copyright 5 Dedication 6 Acknowledgements 8 Table of Contents 14 List of Plates 16 List of Figures 20 List of Abbreviations 22 Introduction 60 BEGINNINGS 60 LIFELIKE MATTERS 64 THE CENTURY OF THINGS 67 BETWEEN PATRONAGE AND COMMERCE 69 TOURING AND VIEWING 71 ANATOMICAL CELEBRITIES 75 ENTANGLED LIVES 78 THE OUTLINE 81 1: Prospero’s Tools 83 ‘MAGNUS IN FOLIO, PARVUS IN SOLIO’ 83 NEW POPE AND NOVEL PATRON 89 THE BODY OF THE CHURCH 91 THE ANATOMY OF THE POPE 96 MODELLING SANCTITY 100 ANATOMY AND THE BORDERS OF THE NATURAL WORLD 102 BOLOGNA AND ROME 108 POWERFUL THINGS 111 2: Artificer and Connoisseur 115 ‘LABORIOUS MERE ANATOMICAL BUSINESS’ 115 LELLI AND THE HARQUEBUS LINCHPIN 117 AN ANATOMY ROOM AT THE INSTITUTE OF THE SCIENCES 123 MAKING MODELS 125 WAX WARS 128 DANCING AND DISSECTING 130 ‘THE GREATEST ANATOMIST IN EUROPE’ 136 BODIES, MODELS, AND STATUES 140 THE STRIPPING OF THE STATUES 143 LEARNING TO LOOK 147 3: Anatomy, Embroidery, and the Fabric of Celebrity 152 SPREADING THE NEWS 152 UN/ORDINARY HOUSEHOLDS 156 ANATOMICAL HOMES 159 MODELLING AND MOTHERING 160 ANATOMY LIKE EMBROIDERY 163 THE BEAUTY OF ANATOMY 170 ANATOMISTS, NOT CHARLATANS 172 ARTISTS AND ANATOMISTS 177 WITH A ‘LEARNED AND BEAUTIFUL HAND’ 180 WIGS, COLLARS, AND ‘DESPERATE PHYSIOGNOMIES’ 184 4: Women, Wax, and Anatomy 189 THE FLUID WORLD OF WAX 189 PLEADING WITH THE POPE 192 FRIVOLOUS MINDS AND FUTILE THINGS 194 VISIONS AND THE NATURE OF THE IMAGINATION 195 HEATING UP PEOPLE’S HEADS 198 POLICING DEVOTION 199 WAXWORKS AND THE INVISIBLE HAND 203 IMPRESSING THE SENSES 204 KEEPING THINGS SEPARATE 207 IN THE PROXIMITY OF KNOWLEDGE 209 BOLOGNA’S WAX CULTURES 211 WAX EFFIGIES 214 5: Blindfolding the Midwives 222 ANATOMY AND MIDWIFERY 222 ‘TIRELESS STUDIES, AFFABLE MANNERS’ 226 SENSING CHILDBIRTH 230 BLINDING KNOWLEDGE 233 MODELLING MATERNITY 236 A PORTELLA AT THE INSTITUTE OF THE SCIENCES 239 MODELS, TRAINING, AND LICENSING 243 RELIGIOUS LICENSING 245 TRANSLATING GESTURAL KNOWLEDGE 248 6: Transferring Value 251 VALUABLE MATTERS 251 ENTERING THE BOOKISH WORLD OF ANATOMY 253 IN A STATE OF EXTREME NEED 255 MEDICAL ENTERPRISES 257 THE SALT OF THE LION 260 TRANSFERABLE SKILLS 265 PORTRAYING CELEBRITY 267 CELEBRITY AND MODESTY 269 7: Injecting Knowledge 274 GIUSEPPE GOES TO NAPLES 274 A SKELETON AT THE NEAPOLITAN COURT 276 THE LURE OF THE VOLCANO 279 ONE OF THE MOST PERFECT PHILOSOPHERS 283 THE MAKING OF A COURTIER SAVANT 284 ‘A SECOND WORLD FROM THE FIRST’ 290 THICKENING BLOOD 294 ‘THE CITY OF BLOODS’ 300 REGENERATION 304 JUGGLER OR PHILOSOPHER 306 THE NATURAL AND THE ARTIFICIAL 310 Epilogue: Becoming Obsolete 313 Select Bibliography 320 PRIMARY SOURCES 320 Manuscript Sources: Archives and Libraries 320 Printed Primary Sources 320 SECONDARY SOURCES 329 Index 354 Malleable Anatomies Offers An Account Of The Early Stages Of The Practice Of Anatomical Modelling In Mid-eighteenth-century Italy. It Investigates The 'mania' For Anatomical Displays That Swept The Italian Peninsula, And Traces The Fashioning Of Anatomical Models As Important Social, Cultural, And Political As Well As Medical Tools. Over The Course Of The Eighteenth Century, Anatomical Specimens Offered Particularly Accurate Insights Into The Inner Body. Being Coloured, Soft, Malleable, And Often Life-size, They Promised To Foster Anatomical Knowledge For Different Audiences In A Delightful Way. But How Did Anatomical Models And Preparations Inscribe And Mediate Bodily Knowledge? How Did They Change The Way In Which Anatomical Knowledge Was Created And Communicated? And How Did They Affect The Lives Of Those Involved In Their Production, Display, Viewing, And Handling? 0examining The Circumstances Surrounding The Creation And Early Viewing Of Anatomical Displays In Bologna And Naples, Malleable Anatomies Addresses These Questions By Reconstructing How Anatomical Modelling Developed At The Intersection Of Medical Discourse, Religious Ritual, Antiquarian And Artistic Cultures, And Grand Tour Display. While Doing So, It Investigates The Development Of Anatomical Modelling In The Context Of The Diverse Worlds Of Visual And Material Practices That Characterized The Representation And Display Of The Body In Mid-eighteenth-century Italy. Drawing Attention To The Artisanal Dimension Of Anatomical Practice, And To The Role Of Women As Both Makers And Users Of Anatomical Models, It Considers How Anatomical Specimens Lay At The Centre Of A Composite World Of Social Interactions, Which Led To The Fashioning Of Modellers As Anatomical Celebrities. Moreover, It Examines How Anatomical Displays Transformed The Proverbially Gruesome Practice Of Anatomy Into An Enthralling Experience That Engaged Audiences' Senses. Introduction -- Prospero's Tools -- Artificer And Connoisseur -- Anatomy, Embroidery, And The Fabric Of Celebrity -- Women, Wax And Anatomy -- Blindfolding The Midwives -- Transferring Value -- Injecting Knowledge -- Epilogue. Lucia Dacome. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 261-293) And Index. __Malleable Anatomies__ examines the early stages of the practice of anatomical modelling. It investigates the ‘mania’ for anatomical displays that swept the Italian peninsula in the mid-eighteenth century, and traces the fashioning of anatomical models as important social, cultural, and political as well as medical tools. Anatomical models offered special insights into the inner body. Being coloured, soft, and malleable, they fostered anatomical knowledge in delightful ways. But how did anatomical models inscribe and mediate bodily knowledge? How did they change the way in which anatomical knowledge was created and communicated? And how did they affect the lives of those involved in their production, display, viewing, and handling? Examining the circumstances surrounding the making and early viewing of anatomical displays in Bologna, Naples, and Palermo, __Malleable Anatomies__ addresses these questions by reconstructing how anatomical modelling developed at the intersection of medical knowledge, religious ritual, antiquarian and artistic cultures, and Grand Tour display. While doing so, it investigates the development of anatomical modelling in the context of the diverse visual and material practices that characterized the representation and display of the body. Drawing attention to the artisanal dimension of anatomical practice, and the role of women as both makers and users, it considers how anatomical models lay at the centre of a composite world of social interactions that led to the fashioning of modellers as anatomical celebrities. Moreover, it examines how anatomical displays transformed the proverbially gruesome practice of anatomy into an enthralling experience that engaged audiences’ senses and affects.