Portrait of a Physician 1680

Mary Beale painted this portrait of a physician in the 17th century, a time when science and the human form were subjects of great fascination. Note the figure in the physician's hand, a classical symbol of knowledge and healing. The écorché, the flayed figure revealing the muscles beneath the skin, has roots in antiquity. This motif experienced a resurgence during the Renaissance, and was intended to reveal the inner workings of the body, a mirror reflecting our own mortality. The écorché is like the ‘Anima,’ Jung described, expressing the innermost, unconscious part. Across cultures, the revealing of the body, be it through art or ritual, has long been a way to confront what lies beneath. Through centuries, the écorché has taken on different forms, yet its core message persists—a visceral reminder of our physical existence, a bridge between science and the soul.