A Lesson in Anatomy - By Rembrandt
Listen to the Story: 12 minutes
Audio-only: (best on mobile)
Description:
It is one of his most famous paintings. The Anatomical Lesson of Dr. Tulp was made as a group portrait for the Surgeons Guild in Amsterdam. We see them at one of their events, the public dissection of a human body. They were only allowed one body a year, so I guess it was a special occasion. Dr. Tulp is speaking to an auditorium filled with spectators, not just other surgeons, it was open to everyone and apparently a pretty popular event. Please join me as I show you the painting up close and tell you the story behind it.
Rembrandt Room
"The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp"
Rembrandt, The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Tulp, c 1636 Painting of the Week: The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicolaes Tulp