Armen en hand met spierbundels 1820 - 1833

Jean Augustin Daiwaille made this pencil drawing of an arm and hand with muscles, date unknown, and it's now held at the Rijksmuseum. This detailed anatomical study speaks to the rise of scientific rationalism in the 18th and 19th centuries, with the institutions of science and medicine seeking to classify and understand the human body with greater precision. The image, with its precise lines, reflects a desire to break down complex systems into their component parts for closer examination, reflecting a growing sense of human understanding. It raises questions about the role of art in the service of science, and the relationship between artistic representation and objective knowledge. Studying the history of medical illustration and the institutional context in which such drawings were produced helps us to understand the social and intellectual values that shaped both art and science in this period.