[Dr. Nicolaes Tulp's anatomy lecture].
"The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp" (1632) is one of Rembrandt's most famous paintings. It is often regarded as simply a group portrait of the Surgeons' Guild in Amsterdam at the time. Some inconsistencies in the perspective, the size and anatomy of the dissected arm, and the doctor's slightly awkward hand pose, have been put down to Rembrandt's lack of experience and ignorance of anatomy. However, from a surgeon's point of view there are clear indications that Rembrandt fully understood Dr Tulp's lecture and has captured in his painting an accurate demonstration of the functional anatomy of the superficial flexors of the fingers.
Hove
Leiv M
LM
Institutt for kirurgiske fag, Universitetet i Bergen, 5021 Bergen. leiv.hove@helse-bergen.no
Young
Sven
S
Schrama
Johannes Cornelis
JC
D000715:Anatomy / Q000266:history*; D005197:Famous Persons; D013502:General Surgery / Q000266:history; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049670:History, 17th Century; D006801:Humans; D008512:Medicine in the Arts; D009426:Netherlands; D010820:Physicians / Q000266:history