The British journal of surgery
-
Historical Article
Anatomy lesson of the brain and cerebral membranes captured on canvas by Rembrandt in 1656.
The Anatomy Lesson of Jan Deijman, painted by Rembrandt in 1656, is one of the most extraordinary historical paintings recording an anatomical demonstration of the brain and the cerebral membranes. This painting belongs to the series of group portraits made for the Amsterdam Guild of Surgeons in the 17th and 18th centuries. Unfortunately, the painting was seriously damaged by a fire in the boardroom of the Surgeons' Guild in 1723. ⋯ The abdominal organs have been removed, and the brain and cerebral membranes are about to be dissected. The nature of the depicted anatomical structures was assessed recently. This revealed that, by showing the falx cerebri, Rembrandt at the same time probably concealed a memento mori message in his masterpiece.