Model Experts

Wax Anatomies and Enlightenment in Florence and Vienna, 1775–1815
Model Experts is the first book-length history in English of a celebrated collection of anatomical wax models which continues to fascinate audiences and shape our image of the body to the present day. It reveals the human relationships, controversies, and political projects which surrounded the artificial bodies.

Based on a detailed study of rich archival sources, Model experts explores practices of model production and display, and reveals the often invisible labours of the co-operating artisans, anatomists, and administrators.

The book, now available in paperback, shows that the models were central to a remarkable political experiment: 'La Specola' opened in 1775 as the Royal Museum of Physics and Natural History, one of the first public science museums in Europe. As a venue for public enlightenment, the museum displayed model anatomies to create the model citizen. The study also moves beyond the borders of Tuscany, following a set of Florentine waxes to Vienna to explore the diverse reactions of medical professionals and general audiences as the models travelled in enlightened Europe.

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