This week I saw something fascinating and a little unnerving. We visited some of the buildings of the university and learned about their histories. L’Archiginnasio, which is a very old building of the university, is covered in frescos and the plagues of countless graduates, but what I found most interesting was the anatomy classroom. That sounds strange, but it was truly intriguing.
This centuries old classroom of anatomy was used to teach aspiring doctors and physicians (and even artists like Michelangelo) the functions of the human body. It is still a beautiful room, though after a bomb during WWII it had to be reconstructed. The room is constructed completely of wood, once perfumed to neutralize the smell of the corpses on the dissection table. What I find of intrest in this room are two statues that are called Spellati, or the Skinless, by Ercole Lelli. These two figures stand erect, supporting a platform in which a carved allegory of anatomy sits overseeing the processes of this science.
These two figures are truly wonderful. They are meant to express the human form as if it didn’t have skin. The muscles and veins are carved carefully into each digit and each limb. The artist took great care in positioning the statues so that all parts would be available to viewers and as a display of the human form, which will soon be laid out on the table in the center of the room. Due to the thin and almost barren look of the figures, they seemed at first to be some sort of servants supporting the platform, but after closer inspection and an explanation in Italian, we understood better and were able to respect the figures for their truly artistic and scientific value.
I want to apologize for the lateness of this post. Punctuality in Italy is almost unheard of and my classes havn’t started yet, so I have no real schedule. Please forgive me! Also, for anyone interested, I would like to offer the opportunity of requesting sites you would like me to visit and write about. Obviously you could go to any site that you want to read about Italian arts or tourist sites, but this is like a personalized version. Comment on my posts with whatever you want me to see and I’ll try my best to post a video or photos and an article. I could really use your ideas, because there are just too many choices right now and no way to narrow them down!
Tanti Auguri!
Danny Fob
Your Wolverine Abroad Blogger
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