Anatomische studie van de bloedvaten en de bloedsomloop 1685

Pieter van Gunst made this print of the vascular system of the human body sometime between 1689 and 1724. It represents a fascinating moment in the history of science when the circulation of blood was beginning to be understood. But this wasn’t just a scientific illustration. Consider its time and place: the Dutch Republic, a major center for the production and trade of images. Anatomy lessons were public events, and the display of human remains became a form of civic spectacle. It’s no accident that Rembrandt painted his famous Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp during this period. This print offered a way to circulate anatomical knowledge beyond the confines of the lecture hall or the medical school. It reflects an age of increasing public engagement with science, where images played a crucial role in disseminating new ideas and shaping popular understanding. When we study images such as this one, consulting resources from medical history and social history, we can better understand the social role that art plays in shaping the way we understand the world.