Male ivory anatomical figure, Germany, 1601-1800 Inside this
ivory male anatomical figure are individually carved organs,
including the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. The bladder is
represented by moonstone. Popular in the 1600s and 1700s, ivory
anatomical figures normally came in male and female pairs;
female examples were almost always shown as pregnant. The organs
are not very detailed so it is unlikely that the model was made
for medical teaching. The figures were possibly used to teach
young couples about anatomy and pregnancy or it may have been a
collector’s item. Related Themes and Topics There are 285
related objects. View all related objects Glossary: anatomical
figure Highly detailed models of the full human figure for
artists, teachers and medical practitioners. A branch of medical
science concerned with the structure of living organisms.