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Ghosh SK, Bhattacharjee S. Public human dissection and societal connect of anatomical sciences: A glorious association in the past but ethically forbidden practice at present. Anat Sci Educ 2024. [PMID: 38576065 DOI: 10.1002/ase.2413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Under the futuristic vision of anatomical sciences, a strong societal connection is mandatory. The anatomical practice experienced robust societal participation through public human dissection from the 16th century onward. With a perspective to explore the intersection of spirituality with anatomy, the present study analyzed this momentous period. From a spiritual perspective, the study also reflects on two relevant but presently uncoupled entities of public human dissection and societal connection through the prism of current regulations. Strong representation from the general public during public human dissection was primarily driven by spiritual proclivity and an endorsement from religious authorities. To regulate large gatherings and maintain academic sanctity, anatomical theaters emerged as dedicated spaces for such a merger. With time and growing financial support, the theaters transformed from temporary structures to elaborate architectural marvels, further propelling already robust societal connections associated with the practice. Nevertheless, a confluence of multiple factors led to the violation of spiritual principles and a consequent decrease in societal participation from the early 18th century, eventually culminating in the demise of such spectacle. Presently, public human dissection-when done-is mostly conducted for commercial gains and in contravention of ethical norms. It is against the essence of spirituality and harbors a bleak prospect for societal connection. Contrastingly, measures adopted to promote societal participation (mostly related to body donation) were quite effective and followed the principles of spirituality. Societal connections served anatomy in the past and can lead to its advancement if approached through a righteous path.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjib Kumar Ghosh
- Department of Anatomy, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, India
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2
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Savastano LE, Morreale RF, Eliasoph PI, Forcht-Dagi T, Nijensohn DE. The "Michelangelo Code": The Quest for Universal Truth. Neuroscientist 2024; 30:157-172. [PMID: 35866556 DOI: 10.1177/10738584221096642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Michelangelo's unparalleled frescoes in the Sistine Chapel have been traditionally construed to represent the traditional, Roman Catholic interpretation of the Seven Days of Creation in the Book of Genesis and the Last Judgement. Indeed, in September 2018, Pope Francis I offered a benediction for the Vatican's art treasures and for "those who contributed to the Church's history through art." A number of studies have suggested that Michelangelo concealed anatomic information about the human brain in his renderings of God and biblical prophets and saints. Was the anatomic content of these images purposeful or coincidental? Was the anatomy intentionally concealed? Is there a common pattern with symbolic connotations in the anatomic representations? Was Michelangelo sending an encoded message? In this study, we analyze the imagery in the Sistine frescoes in light of the literature surrounding Michelangelo's artistry with a particular interest in the relationship between the certain purported anatomic depictions and details demonstrable using scientific and anatomic techniques available during the High Renaissance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis E Savastano
- University of Michigan, MI, USA
- Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
- University of California San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Philip I Eliasoph
- Fairfield University College of Arts and Sciences, Fairfield, CT, USA
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3
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Ashford JW, Tatem SB. Michelangelo's Presentations in the Sistine Chapel: Brain Evolution and the Relationship of the Brain to Specific Cognitive Functions. Neuroscientist 2022:10738584221136091. [PMID: 36408533 DOI: 10.1177/10738584221136091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024]
Abstract
Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) presented some of the most spectacular artworks of all times in frescos on the ceiling and behind the altar of the Sistine Chapel. While Michelangelo's presentations depict events described in the Bible, there is broad consensus that Michelangelo was conveying his knowledge and theoretical ideas gleaned from his experiences with anatomic dissection. Michelangelo appears to have communicated several ideas about the brain in the images of the Days of Creation and the Last Judgment. Taking the Days of Creation and the Last Judgment together, Michelangelo appears to be symbolizing that God is in the brain, specifically the brainstem, and the brain performs mental functions. The five images on the ceiling of the chapel showing Days of Creation may be interpreted as reflecting the course of vertebrate brain evolution. There are further suggestions about brain function, including perceiving light and complex images and giving spirit to Adam. Furthermore, on the front wall of the Sistine Chapel behind the altar, within the work titled the Last Judgment, the central ellipse, in which Jesus is sitting, appears to represent a midcoronal cross section of a human brain, suggesting that it is the brain that renders judgments about good and evil.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Wesson Ashford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA
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Abstract
Obtaining information from the world is important for survival. The brain, therefore, has special mechanisms to extract as much information as possible from sensory stimuli. Hence, given its importance, the amount of available information may underlie aesthetic values. Such information-based aesthetic values would be significant because they would compete with others to drive decision-making. In this article, we ask, "What is the evidence that amount of information support aesthetic values?" An important concept in the measurement of informational volume is entropy. Research on aesthetic values has thus used Shannon entropy to evaluate the contribution of quantity of information. We review here the concepts of information and aesthetic values, and research on the visual and auditory systems to probe whether the brain uses entropy or other relevant measures, specially, Fisher information, in aesthetic decisions. We conclude that information measures contribute to these decisions in two ways: first, the absolute quantity of information can modulate aesthetic preferences for certain sensory patterns. However, the preference for volume of information is highly individualized, with information-measures competing with organizing principles, such as rhythm and symmetry. In addition, people tend to be resistant to too much entropy, but not necessarily, high amounts of Fisher information. We show that this resistance may stem in part from the distribution of amount of information in natural sensory stimuli. Second, the measurement of entropic-like quantities over time reveal that they can modulate aesthetic decisions by varying degrees of surprise given temporally integrated expectations. We propose that amount of information underpins complex aesthetic values, possibly informing the brain on the allocation of resources or the situational appropriateness of some cognitive models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norberto M. Grzywacz
- Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Hassan Aleem
- Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States
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De Campos D, Buso L. The faces hidden in the anatomy of Michelangelo Buonarroti's Pietà in the Vatican. Acta Biomed 2021; 92:e2021044. [PMID: 33988180 PMCID: PMC8182601 DOI: 10.23750/abm.v92i2.9152] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The study of human anatomy, besides being fundamental to the practice of medicine, has traditionally always been present in the daily life of many Renaissance artists. In this context, the specialized literature has described the famous Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) as being among the greatest artist-anatomists of his time. Thus, many researchers have tried to better understand the inspirations of this famous artist, and even the possible diseases that affected this genius of human anatomy. Therefore, for the first time, this manuscript provides evidence that Michelangelo Buonarroti may have concealed letters, numbers, and faces in the anatomy of the Vatican’s Pietà [Virgin Mary/Jesus Christ] in 1498-9. The revelation of these findings, besides testifying to the artist’s considerable skill in representing the corporeal forms in his sculptures, will also be provide useful insights into the iconographic understanding of a work of art that is undoubtedly one of the most important of the Renaissance. Moreover, the present study shall be important for professionals in the medico-artistic field and those who keep some interest in the history of human anatomy, which is undoubtedly a fundamental discipline for the practice of medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deivis De Campos
- a:1:{s:5:"en_US";s:59:"Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre";}.
| | - Luciano Buso
- Treviso, 31030, San Vito di Altivole, Italy, Studioso e ricercatore scientifico nel campo dell'arte.
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Cucu AI, Turliuc S, Costea CF, Perciaccante A, Bianucci R, Donell S, Scripcariu DV, Turliuc MD. The brainstem and its neurosurgical history. Neurosurg Rev 2021. [PMID: 33580370 DOI: 10.1007/s10143-021-01496-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Brainstem is one of the most complex structures of the human body, and has the most complex intracranial anatomy, which makes surgery at this level the most difficult. Due to its hidden position, the brainstem became known later by anatomists, and moreover, brainstem surgery cannot be understood without knowing the evolution of ideas in neuroanatomy, neuropathology, and neuroscience. Starting from the first attempts at identifying brainstem anatomy in prehistory and antiquity, the history of brainstem discoveries and approach may be divided into four periods: macroscopic anatomy, microscopic anatomy and neurophysiology, posterior fossa surgery, and brainstem surgery. From the first trepanning of the posterior fossa and later finger surgery, to the occurrence of safe entry zones, this paper aims to review how neuroanatomy and brainstem surgery were understood historically, and how the surgical technique evolved from Galen of Pergamon up to the twenty-first century.
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Abstract
In a 1990 JAMA cover story Frank Meshberger reported that Michelangelo's central composition on the Sistine Chapel ceiling (1508-1512), The Creation of Adam, portrays God in the form of a brain. The present report suggests that Michelangelo's images on the chapel ceiling depicting Creation describe the course of vertebrate brain development. Further, on the front wall of the Sistine Chapel, within the work titled The Last Judgment (1525-1541), the central ellipse, where Jesus is making judgments about good and evil, represents a mid-coronal cross-section of a human brain, implying that the brain is man's instrument for making decisions.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Wesson Ashford
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, VA Palo Alto Health Care System , Palo Alto, CA, USA
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8
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De Bonis P, Visani J, Zauli G, Mongardi L, Zamboni P, Cavallo MA. A Brain Hidden in the Ferrara Cathedral: A Novel Interpretation of a Renaissance Masterpiece. World Neurosurg 2019; 127:486-489. [PMID: 30954742 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2019.03.285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The aim of present report was to briefly review the history of the anatomical studies during the Italian Renaissance and to outline their relationship to the figurative arts, focusing, in particular, on neuroanatomical studies that have been at the center of the medical and philosophical debate from the 14th to 16th centuries. Therefore, we have presented the interpretation of different Renaissance masterpieces for which some references to brain anatomy have been previously reported. We propose a new interpretation, in neuroanatomical key, of the fresco of the universal judgment in the vault of San Giorgio's Cathedral in Ferrara, Italy, painted around the end of the 16th century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pasquale De Bonis
- Department of Neurosurgery, St. Anna University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Jacopo Visani
- Department of Neurosurgery, St. Anna University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Zauli
- Division of Anatomy and Histology, Department of Morphology, Surgery, and Experimental Medicine, St. Anna University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Mongardi
- Department of Neurosurgery, St. Anna University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy
| | - Paolo Zamboni
- Department of Vascular Surgery, St. Anna University Hospital, Ferrara, Italy
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de Campos D. A hidden rib found in Michelangelo Buonarroti's fresco The Creation of Adam. Clin Anat 2019; 32:648-653. [PMID: 30820963 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2019] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The fresco The Creation of Adam (1511), painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by the great genius of human anatomy Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), represents one of the most emblematic and best-known scenes in the world. This fresco illustrates a key passage from the Book of Genesis: the moment when God creates the first man, Adam. Since its completion, this work has been intensively studied by many scholars of art, and by several anatomists, who have pointed out signs of anatomical representations contained in the scene. However, there is still some uncertainty regarding this famous scene, especially in relation to its complete iconography. In an attempt to understand Michelangelo's purpose better regarding this emblematic scene, this article presents unpublished evidence that the artist could have concealed within the figure of Adam the anatomical image of a rib which, according to traditional Biblical accounts, is iconographically associated with the origin of Eve, Adam's companion. Curiously, this hidden rib in Adam's body figure could be related to the traditional view of the origin of the first humans expounded in the Jewish Kabbalah. Clin. Anat. 32:648-653, 2019. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deivis de Campos
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil.,Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Promoção da Saúde, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, Brazil
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10
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Lazzeri D, Al-Mousawi A, Nicoli F. Sandro Botticelli’s Madonna of the Pomegranate: the hidden cardiac anatomy. Interact Cardiovasc Thorac Surg 2018; 28:619-621. [DOI: 10.1093/icvts/ivy321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Davide Lazzeri
- Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Unit, Villa Salaria Clinic, Rome, Italy
| | - Ahmed Al-Mousawi
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Fabio Nicoli
- Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery Unit, Villa Salaria Clinic, Rome, Italy
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, Rome, Italy
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11
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de Campos D, Da Costa Oliveira M. Michelangelo buonarroti's code in the frescoes of the sistine chapel - an allusion to gematria of the hebrew/greek alphabet and the Golden Ratio. Clin Anat 2018; 31:948-955. [PMID: 30113094 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2018] [Accepted: 07/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
According to Giorgio Vasari (1511-1574), the great genius of anatomy, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), in painting the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (1508-1512), demonstrated to the world a new dimension/perspective of painting, especially in the sublime manner with which the artist represented the anatomical details of the characters that made up his frescoes. Since then, the Sistine Chapel has received millions of tourists annually, who marvel at the anatomical beauty of the characters depicted on its ceiling. It has also received many scholars of art and even anatomists, who have often tried to infer theses and explanations regarding Michelangelo's real intentions in elaborating this great work. However, even after five centuries, the Vatican's own official explanations of the true intentions of the artist remain quite uncertain. In an attempt to elucidate Michelangelo's possible intentions in the design of this memorable work, this article presents unpublished evidence that all the frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel were organized by the artist according to a code based on the number of characters in each fresco, the gematria of the Hebrew/Greek alphabet, and the Golden Ratio. This decoding process could reveal a key factor influencing the artist's intentions in ordering the elements in this work. Clin. Anat. 31:948-955, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deivis de Campos
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, 90050-170, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenida Independência 2293, 96815-900, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Promoção da Saúde, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenida Independência 2293, 96815-900, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Miriam Da Costa Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Patologia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, 90050-170, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Departamento de Clínica Médica, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, 90050-170, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Leiner M, Peinado J, Baylon A, Lopez I, Pathak I. Divide and conquer: improving parental understanding of health-related instructions using sequential pictorial instructions. Health Educ Res 2018; 33:104-113. [PMID: 29579193 DOI: 10.1093/her/cyy004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Patient misunderstandings of healthcare-related instructions result in significant health, social and economic consequences. Pushing the boundaries of traditional academic methods may offer strategies that promote new ways to improve communication and understanding between healthcare providers, caregivers and patients. Comics can be an educational tool, offering an innovative strategy to communicate health-related information. Our study objective was to compare parents' understanding of health-related instructions (i.e. prescription labels, medical instructions and emergency situation scenarios) that were presented using two different formats-sequential pictorial instructions (SPIs) versus written text instructions (WRIs).This was a cross-sectional study to compare parents' understanding of health-related instructions for pediatric patients using structured SPIs versus WRIs. Parents (n = 359, 18-82 years old) of pediatric patients were given a card with instructions that were presented as SPIs (n = 195, 54.3%) or WRIs (n = 164, 45.7%), and then they completed a questionnaire. Total (14 questions) and grouped scores (10 questions) for parental comprehension of prescription and medical emergency instructions were significantly higher among participants viewing the SPIs than those viewing the WRIs in both English and Spanish. The mean understanding of instructions significantly increased from 6% to 12.2% when comparing the WRI versus the SPI.Our initial findings indicate that parents and caregivers of pediatric patients had significantly better understanding and recall of instructions delivered using SPIs than using WRIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Leiner
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Jesus Peinado
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Angelica Baylon
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Isis Lopez
- Paul Foster School of Medicine, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
| | - Indu Pathak
- Department of Pediatrics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, TX 79905, USA
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de Campos D. A self-caricature of michelangelo buonarroti hidden in the portrait of vittoria colonna. Clin Anat 2018; 31:335-338. [PMID: 29380449 DOI: 10.1002/ca.23055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
The specialized literature has described how the great anatomist par excellence, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), like many other renowned artists of his time, included a self-portrait in many of his works. This article presents novel evidence that Michelangelo inserted his self-portrait into a sketch of his close friend, Vittoria Colonna (1490-1547). This work, made by Michelangelo in 1525, is currently in the collection of the British Museum in London, England. This self-portrait of Michelangelo can serve as a tool for analyzing the artist's probable bodily dimensions and even his state of health during this period of his life. Clin. Anat. 31:335-338, 2018. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deivis de Campos
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, 90050-170, Brazil.,Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenida Independência 2293, Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, 96815-900, Brazil
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14
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Lazzeri D. Concealed lung anatomy in Botticelli's masterpieces the primavera and the birth of venus. Acta Biomed 2018; 88:502-509. [PMID: 29350668 PMCID: PMC6166164 DOI: 10.23750/abm.v88i4.5981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2016] [Accepted: 01/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Sandro Botticelli was one of the most esteemed painters and draughtsmen among Renaissance artists. Under the patronage of the De’ Medici family, he was active in Florence during the flourishing of the Renaissance trend towards the reclamation of lost medical and anatomical knowledge of ancient times through the dissection of corpses. Combining the typical attributes of the elegant courtly style with hallmarks derived from the investigation and analysis of classical templates, he left us immortal masterpieces, the excellence of which incomprehensibly waned and was rediscovered only in the 1890s. Few know that it has already been reported that Botticelli concealed the image of a pair of lungs in his masterpiece, The Primavera. The present investigation provides evidence that Botticelli embedded anatomic imagery of the lung in another of his major paintings, namely, The Birth of Venus. Both canvases were most probably influenced and enlightened by the neoplatonic philosophy of the humanist teachings in the De’ Medici’s circle, and they represent an allegorical celebration of the cycle of life originally generated by the Divine Wind or Breath. This paper supports the theory that because of the anatomical knowledge to which he was exposed, Botticelli aimed to enhance the iconographical meaning of both the masterpieces by concealing images of the lung anatomy within them. (www.actabiomedica.it)
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De Campos D, Oxley Da Rocha A, De Oliveira Lemos R, Malysz T, Antonio Bonatto-Costa J, Pereira Jotz G, Pinto De Oliveira Junior L, Da Costa Oliveira M. Pagan symbols associated with the female anatomy in the Medici Chapel by Michelangelo Buonarroti. Clin Anat 2017; 30:572-577. [PMID: 28340499 DOI: 10.1002/ca.22882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/20/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Numerous studies have shown that many works of art from the Renaissance period contain hidden symbols and codes that could have religious, mathematical and/or pagan significance and even anatomical allusions. In this context, the present manuscript offers new evidence that the great genius of anatomy, Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564), included pagan symbols associated with female anatomy in the funerary monuments found in the Sagrestia Nuova/Medici Chapel (1519-1533) in Florence, Italy. The interpretation of the symbols provided in this study will interest those with a passion for the history of anatomy. Clin. Anat. 30:572-577, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deivis De Campos
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenida Independência 2293, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, 96815-900, Brazil
| | - Andrea Oxley Da Rocha
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo De Oliveira Lemos
- Departamento de Educação e Humanidades, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite, 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Tais Malysz
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - João Antonio Bonatto-Costa
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos, Avenida Unisinos 950, São Leopoldo, RS, 93000-000, Brazil
| | - Geraldo Pereira Jotz
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Lino Pinto De Oliveira Junior
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos, Avenida Unisinos 950, São Leopoldo, RS, 93000-000, Brazil
| | - Miriam Da Costa Oliveira
- Centro de Neuroendocrinologia, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
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Gasenzer ER. Psychologische und psychoanalytische Grundlagen in Schrekers Musikdrama „Die Gezeichneten“. Wien Med Wochenschr 2016; 166:466-478. [DOI: 10.1007/s10354-016-0459-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2015] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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de Campos D, Malysz T, Bonatto-Costa JA, Jotz GP, de Oliveira Junior LP, Wichmann JF, Goulart GR, Stefani MA, da Rocha AO. The hidden symbols of the female anatomy in Michelangelo Buonarroti's ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Clin Anat 2016; 29:911-6. [PMID: 27501255 DOI: 10.1002/ca.22764] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Revised: 07/22/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
A number of published articles have suggested that each element of Renaissance art contains an inner meaning. Some of these elements include the choice of theme and protagonists, faces selected for the characters, colors used, species of flowers and trees chosen, animals depicted, positions of the elements, posture of the characters and their gestures, juxtapositions in the scenes, and even the very scenario or landscape. All of these elements are thought to have hidden meanings. In this context, this manuscript presents a new hypothesis suggesting that Michelangelo Buonarroti (1475-1564) may have concealed symbols associated with female anatomy in the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel (painted 1508-1512) in Rome. Thus, this paper is useful to better understand the history of anatomy and corroborates recent descriptions that have suggested the possible existence of anatomic figures concealed in many of Michelangelo's works. Clin. Anat. 29:911-916, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deivis de Campos
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil. .,Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenida Independência 2293, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, 96815-900, Brazil.
| | - Tais Malysz
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90.050-170, Brazil
| | - João Antonio Bonatto-Costa
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos, Avenida Unisinos 950, São Leopoldo, RS, 93000-000, Brazil
| | - Geraldo Pereira Jotz
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Lino Pinto de Oliveira Junior
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil.,Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos, Avenida Unisinos 950, São Leopoldo, RS, 93000-000, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Francine Wichmann
- Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenida Independência 2293, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, 96815-900, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Reghelin Goulart
- Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Avenida Independência 2293, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, 96815-900, Brazil
| | - Marco Antonio Stefani
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Sarmento Leite 500, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Andrea Oxley da Rocha
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Avenida Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil
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Nanda A, Khan IS, Apuzzo ML. Renaissance Neurosurgery: Italy's Iconic Contributions. World Neurosurg 2016; 87:647-55. [DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2015.11.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Revised: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Abstract
Whilst painting the vault of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo Buonarroti left an autographical sketch that revealed a prominence at the front of his hyper-extended neck. This image was recently diagnosed as goiter. The poet Michelangelo in a sonnet dated 1509 described himself as being afflicted by goiter similarly to the cats in the northern Italian Lombardy, a region with endemic goiter. Several narratives extended this sonnet into a pathological theory. The analyses of Michelangelo's works, however, his portraits and self-portraits, of poems and major biographies, have not indicated the likelihood of goiter. This investigation makes an attempt to assess the diagnosis on clinical as well as iconographical grounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Lazzeri
- Plastic Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Villa Salaria Clinic, Rome, Italy
- Center for Medical Humanities, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Donatella Lippi
- Center for Medical Humanities, Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - George M Weisz
- School of Humanities, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
- School of Humanities, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
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Affiliation(s)
- Piera Valenti
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy,
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de Campos D, Malysz T, Bonatto-Costa JA, Pereira Jotz G, Pinto de Oliveira Junior L, Oxley da Rocha A. More than a neuroanatomical representation in The Creation of Adam
by Michelangelo Buonarroti, a representation of the Golden Ratio. Clin Anat 2015; 28:702-5. [DOI: 10.1002/ca.22580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/30/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Deivis de Campos
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde; Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre; 90050-170 Porto Alegre RS Brazil
- Departamento de Biologia e Farmácia; Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul; 96815-900 Santa Cruz do Sul RS Brazil
| | - Tais Malysz
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas; Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; 90050-170 Porto Alegre RS Brazil
| | - João Antonio Bonatto-Costa
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde; Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre; 90050-170 Porto Alegre RS Brazil
- Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos; 93000-000 São Leopoldo RS Brazil
| | - Geraldo Pereira Jotz
- Departamento de Ciências Morfológicas; Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul; 90050-170 Porto Alegre RS Brazil
| | - Lino Pinto de Oliveira Junior
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde; Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre; 90050-170 Porto Alegre RS Brazil
- Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade do Vale do Rio do Sinos; 93000-000 São Leopoldo RS Brazil
| | - Andrea Oxley da Rocha
- Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde; Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre; 90050-170 Porto Alegre RS Brazil
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Thakur JD, Sonig A, Chittiboina P, Khan IS, Wadhwa R, Nanda A. Humphrey Ridley (1653-1708): 17th century evolution in neuroanatomy and selective cerebrovascular injections for cadaver dissection. Neurosurg Focus 2013; 33:E3. [PMID: 22853834 DOI: 10.3171/2012.6.focus12139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Humphrey Ridley, M.D. (1653-1708), is a relatively unknown historical figure, belonging to the postmedieval era of neuroanatomical discovery. He was born in the market town of Mansfield, 14 miles from the county of Nottinghamshire, England. After studying at Merton College, Oxford, he pursued medicine at Leiden University in the Netherlands. In 1688, he was incorporated as an M.D. at Cambridge. Ridley authored the first original treatise in English language on neuroanatomy, The Anatomy of the Brain Containing its Mechanisms and Physiology: Together with Some New Discoveries and Corrections of Ancient and Modern Authors upon that Subject. Ridley described the venous anatomy of the eponymous circular sinus in connection with the parasellar compartment. His methods were novel, unique, and effective. To appreciate the venous anatomy, he preferred to perform his anatomical dissections on recently executed criminals who had been hanged. These cadavers had considerable venous engorgement, which made the skull base venous anatomy clearer. To enhance the appearance of the cerebral vasculature further, he used tinged wax and quicksilver in the injections. He set up experimental models to answer questions definitively, in proving that the arachnoid mater is a separate meningeal layer. The first description of the subarachnoid cisterns, blood-brain barrier, and the fifth cranial nerve ganglion with its branches are also attributed to Ridley. This historical vignette revisits Ridley's life and academic work that influenced neuroscience and neurosurgical understanding in its infancy. It is unfortunate that most of his novel contributions have gone unnoticed and uncited. The authors hope that this article will inform the neurosurgical community of Ridley's contributions to the field of neurosurgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jai Deep Thakur
- Department of Neurosurgery, LSU Health Shreveport, Louisiana, USA
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Reis LO, Zani EL, Alonso JC, Simões FA, Rejowski RF, Barreto G. The interpretation of the figure of the prophet Jonah by Michelangelo on the ceiling of the sistine chapel: anatomical urological vision. Int Braz J Urol 2012; 38:317-22; discussion 323. [DOI: 10.1590/s1677-55382012000300004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/16/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
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Abstract
The symbiotic relationships between art and the brain begin with the obvious fact that brain mechanisms underlie the creation and appreciation of art. Conversely, many spectacular images of neural structures have remarkable aesthetic appeal. But beyond its fascinating forms, the many functions performed by brain mechanisms provide a profound subject for aesthetic exploration. Complex interactions in the tangled neural networks in our brain miraculously generate coherent behavior and cognition. Neuroscientists tackle these phenomena with specialized methodologies that limit the scope of exposition and are comprehensible to an initiated minority. Artists can perform an end run around these limitations by representing the brain's remarkable functions in a manner that can communicate to a wide and receptive audience. This paper explores the ways that brain mechanisms can provide a largely untapped subject for artistic exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eberhard E Fetz
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Washington, Seattle WA, USA
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Abstract
Over the centuries, discoveries of lands unknown, treasures lost and buried, and formulas to delineate physicochemical processes have led to advancements in our understanding of how the world is structured and governed. In science and medicine, discoveries are frequently made following deliberate periods of observation and experimentation to test hypotheses. However, in some instances, discoveries may arise either following a "eureka moment" that transcends rigorous scientific experimentation or following a serendipitous observation. In many instances, scientific discoveries will lead to new inventions that are aimed at improving the manner in which tasks or operations are performed. In this address, some of the key discoveries in science and medicine that have impacted significantly on the field of neurosurgery are described. Some of these include discoveries in neuroanatomy, anesthesiology, infectious diseases, antisepsis, and radiology. Discoveries in the field of molecular science, from the discovery of DNA to next-generation DNA sequencing, which have helped improve the diagnosis and prognosis of neurosurgical patients with conditions such as brain tumors, are also described. In the end, these discoveries have led us to new frontiers in the subspecialty practice of neurosurgery. Navigating our way through these new frontiers will undoubtedly lead to additional discoveries that are unimaginable at present but bound to improve the future care of neurosurgical patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- James T Rutka
- Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Surgery, The University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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Tamargo RJ, Suk I. Concerning the Concealed Anatomy in Michelangeloʼs Sistine Separation of Light From Darkness. Neurosurgery 2011. [DOI: 10.1227/neu.0b013e31821985a5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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Pierpont GL. Neuroanatomy According to Michelangelo. Neurosurgery 2011; 68:E1774-5. [DOI: 10.1227/neu.0b013e31821551ec] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
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