Superficial Muscles of the Face, for "Art Anatomy" 1872

Editor: This is William Rimmer's "Superficial Muscles of the Face," part of his "Art Anatomy" series. The skeletal, ghost-like quality makes me think of a medical illustration in an old textbook. What do you see in this drawing? Curator: It's interesting you say that. Rimmer was, in a way, dissecting the human form to understand its expressive potential. Consider the precision of the lines, almost loving in their detail. What does that suggest to you? Editor: That perhaps he wasn’t just interested in the science, but in the art of the human form as well. Curator: Exactly. It makes you wonder, doesn’t it, about the intersection of science and art and how one can illuminate the other? Editor: Definitely food for thought! Thanks.