Human Anatomy: Depicting the Body from the Renaissance to Today by Benjamin A Rifkin, Michael J Ackerman, Judith Folkenberg

Synopsis: This lavishly illustrated book chronicles the remarkable history of anatomical illustration from the Renaissance to the digital Visible Human project of today. Its survey of five and a half centuries of meticulous visual description by anatomists and artists will be a welcome addition to the libraries of artists, art students, doctors and anyone interested in the history of science.

Published: February 2011 | ISBN: 978-0500289365

Mini0bio: Benjamin A. Rifkin is an art historian with a keen interest in the meanings of images in their historical context. He is currently working on studies of Rembrandt’s history paintings and the European discovery of the Caribbean. Rifkin lives in New York City.

Mini-bio: Michael J. Ackerman is a biomedical engineer and a pioneer in the field of medical informatics. He was the primary developer of the initial concept for the Visible Human Project, and has received numerous science awards. He lives in Maryland.

Beautifully illustrated, this text walks the reader through a history of anatomical atlases, as the title suggests, from the renaissance to today. Interspersed with an overview of preoccupations and illustrative techniques from each time period, it’s a great introduction to the canon of anatomical illustrators and the contemporary beliefs and concerns their art reveals. – From 10 Great Books on the History of Medicine

The Guardian Book Review
Scientific American Book Review
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution
Portland Book Review Book Review

Amazon Associates (SBAD gets a % of sales from books sold via these links, to help us do more work for science books)

Paperback Edition:Human Anatomy: Depicting the Body from the Renaissance to Today. Benjamin A. Rifkin, Michael J. Ackerman, Judith Folkenberg