title: Touching anatomy: On the handling of preparations in the anatomical cabinets of Frederik Ruysch (1638-1731).
abstract: This paper argues that the anatomical Cabinets of Dutch anatomist Frederik Ruysch must be understood as an early modern workshop in which preparations were continuously handled. It is claimed that preparations actively appealed to anatomists and visitors to handle, re-dissect, touch, and even kiss them. Touching anatomy, therefore, not only refers to the physical handling of objects, but also to the ways preparations impacted on visitors and touched them emotionally.
authors.affiliation: University of Groningen, Department of History, P.O. Box 716, 9700AS Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: h.g.knoeff@rug.nl.
authors.forename: Rina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Knoeff
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000266:history*; D049670:History, 17th Century; D049671:History, 18th Century; D006801:Humans; D009426:Netherlands
keywords: Amsterdam; Anatomy; Collections; Frederik Ruysch; Preparations