Bernardino Genga
Encyclopedia
Bernardino Genga was a scholar of Classical medical texts, editing several works of Hippocrates
. He also had a great interest in the preparation of anatomical specimens as well as the anatomy
of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture
. These interests led to his work at the French Academy in Rome
, where he taught anatomy to artists.
He was born in Mondolfo
in the Duchy of Urbino and died in Rome
, where he practiced surgery in the Hospital of Santo Spirito in Sassia
.
In 1672, he published his noted Anatomia Chirurgica, a textbook for surgeons which went through a number of editions. A year after his death was published the beautiful Anatomia per Uso et Intelligenza del Disegno, which consisted of renderings of his anatomical preparations by the artist Charles Errard
(1606–1689), director of the Accademia, and most likely engraved by François Andriot (died 1704). Giovanni Maria Lancisi
(1654–1720), the Papal physician, edited the work and provided much of the commentary.
Anatomia per Uso et Intelligenza del Disegno consists of 59 copperplate engravings of text and illustrations printed on one side only. After the engraved title is a plate with allegorical emblems of death. Of the illustrated plates, the first 23 deal with osteology
and myology
drawn from Genga's anatomical preparations. The remainder consists of representations of antique statues viewed from different angles, including the Farnese Hercules
, the Laocoön
(without his sons), the Borghese Gladiator
, the Borghese Faun, the Venus de Medici, the Youth Pulling a Thorn from his Foot, and the Amazon of the House of Cesi. A variant of this work lacks the final three images and contains the words "libro primo" on the engraved title, though there was never a libro "secundo" published.
An English translation of the work appeared in London in 1723 under the title, Anatomy Improv'd.
Hippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
. He also had a great interest in the preparation of anatomical specimens as well as the anatomy
Anatomy
Anatomy is a branch of biology and medicine that is the consideration of the structure of living things. It is a general term that includes human anatomy, animal anatomy , and plant anatomy...
of ancient Greek and Roman sculpture
Roman sculpture
The study of ancient Roman sculpture is complicated by its relation to Greek sculpture. Many examples of even the most famous Greek sculptures, such as the Apollo Belvedere and Barberini Faun, are known only from Roman Imperial or Hellenistic "copies." At one time, this imitation was taken by art...
. These interests led to his work at the French Academy in Rome
French Academy in Rome
The French Academy in Rome is an Academy located in the Villa Medici, within the Villa Borghese, on the Pincio in Rome, Italy.-History:...
, where he taught anatomy to artists.
He was born in Mondolfo
Mondolfo
Mondolfo is a comune in the Province of Pesaro e Urbino in the Italian region Marche, located about 35 km northwest of Ancona and about 25 km southeast of Pesaro, on the Adriatic Sea...
in the Duchy of Urbino and died in Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, where he practiced surgery in the Hospital of Santo Spirito in Sassia
Santo Spirito in Sassia
Santo Spirito in Sassia is a 12th century basilica church in Rome.It has been erected in Borgo Santo Spirito, a street which got its name from the church, placed in the southern part of Rione Borgo....
.
In 1672, he published his noted Anatomia Chirurgica, a textbook for surgeons which went through a number of editions. A year after his death was published the beautiful Anatomia per Uso et Intelligenza del Disegno, which consisted of renderings of his anatomical preparations by the artist Charles Errard
Charles Errard
Charles Errard the Younger was a French painter, architect and engraver, co-founder and director of the Académie royale de peinture et de sculpture...
(1606–1689), director of the Accademia, and most likely engraved by François Andriot (died 1704). Giovanni Maria Lancisi
Giovanni Maria Lancisi
Giovanni Maria Lancisi was an Italian physician, epidemiologist and anatomist who made a correlation between the presence of mosquitoes and the prevalence of malaria...
(1654–1720), the Papal physician, edited the work and provided much of the commentary.
Anatomia per Uso et Intelligenza del Disegno consists of 59 copperplate engravings of text and illustrations printed on one side only. After the engraved title is a plate with allegorical emblems of death. Of the illustrated plates, the first 23 deal with osteology
Osteology
Osteology is the scientific study of bones. A subdiscipline of anatomy, anthropology, and archeology, osteology is a detailed study of the structure of bones, skeletal elements, teeth, morphology, function, disease, pathology, the process of ossification , the resistance and hardness of bones , etc...
and myology
Myology
The muscular system consists of skeletal muscle that act to move or position parts of the body , or smooth and cardiac muscle that propels, expels, or controls the flow of fluids and contained substance.The British Myology Society is an example of a professional group promoting myology ...
drawn from Genga's anatomical preparations. The remainder consists of representations of antique statues viewed from different angles, including the Farnese Hercules
Farnese Hercules
The Farnese Hercules is an ancient sculpture, probably an enlarged copy made in the early third century AD and signed by a certain Glykon, from an original by Lysippos that would have been made in the fourth century BC...
, the Laocoön
Laocoön
Laocoön the son of Acoetes is a figure in Greek and Roman mythology.-History:Laocoön is a Trojan priest of Poseidon , whose rules he had defied, either by marrying and having sons, or by having committed an impiety by making love with his wife in the presence of a cult image in a sanctuary...
(without his sons), the Borghese Gladiator
Borghese Gladiator
The Borghese Gladiator is a Hellenistic lifesize marble sculpture actually portraying a swordsman, created at Ephesus about 100 BCE. It is signed on the pedestal by Agasias, son of Dositheus, who is otherwise unknown.-Rediscovery:...
, the Borghese Faun, the Venus de Medici, the Youth Pulling a Thorn from his Foot, and the Amazon of the House of Cesi. A variant of this work lacks the final three images and contains the words "libro primo" on the engraved title, though there was never a libro "secundo" published.
An English translation of the work appeared in London in 1723 under the title, Anatomy Improv'd.
Source
- Adapted from public domain text at Bernardino Genga Biography. Historical Anatomies on the Web. US National Library of Medicine.
External links
- Historical Anatomies on the Web. US National Library of Medicine. Selected pages scanned from the original work, Anatomia per Uso et Intelligenza del Disegno (Rome, 1691).