Anatomy lesson:
from Rembrandt to Damien Hirst at The Hague Municipal Museum

HAGUE. Human anatomy is a subject of inexhaustible interest not only for science, but also for art. For centuries, the human body and the process of opening it have been popular topics among artists. Motivated by a thirst for knowledge, they sought to truly understand the anatomy of man and those laws and principles that determine his physical capabilities.

This fall, the Hague Municipal Museum (Gemeentemuseum Den Haag) hosts a unique exhibition on this subject, where the canvas by the great Rembrandt (Rembrandt) "The Anatomy Lesson of Dr. Nicholas Tulp" (The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Nicolaas Tulp), relating to the seventeenth century, is currently exhibited next to the works of leading international classical and contemporary artists.

This is the first exhibition combining all ten surviving paintings dedicated to the lessons of anatomy, created in the Netherlands in the seventeenth century. In fact, the museum simply took the rare opportunity to exhibit these unique paintings, the main one of which, of course, is the work of Rembrandt, which is in storage at the Municipal Museum, while the Mauritshuis gallery, which now owns the masterpiece, is undergoing renovations.

The exhibition gives visitors the opportunity to literally peek under the skin of Homo Sapiens, through the work of artists ranging from Rembrandt to Damien Hirst. The anatomical practice of the Seventeenth-century Amsterdam Guild of Surgeons symbolizes the pioneering spirit of Holland in its Golden Age. The autopsy of human corpses in the Anatomical Theater was not only open to physicians, wealthy laity could also pay for participating in the event. Science, art and business acumen went hand in hand to give rise to an era of unprecedented social and cultural development.

But perhaps the most important value of these paintings is that they mark the birth of empirical science. For the first time, Europeans openly abandon the comprehensive concept of God. The Bible is no longer the only explanation for everything around. People went in search of tangible reality, and in the framework of these searches, “turned” the human body inside out.

The exhibition also demonstrates many interesting elements from the history of medical science. In addition to surgical instruments, one can see here the working methods of the surgeons of that time and the amazing discoveries they made. For example, the famous Dutch anatomist Frederik Ruysch created a unique collection of anatomical preparations purchased by Peter I (now she is in the Kunstkamera in St. Petersburg). The shortcomings of the human body, the relationship between the body and the mind, the power of medicine and the magic of dissecting the body are all presented in different sections of the exhibition. The list of artists represented includes such famous names as Atelier van Lieshout, Francis Bacon, Berlinde De Bruyckere, Matthew Day Jackson, Lucio Fontana), Mona Hatoum, Paul Thek, Marc Quinn and, of course, Damien Hirst. Their works clearly demonstrate the various hypostases of the human body, created in the image and likeness of God.

The exhibition includes the famous installation of Hurst "Sometimes I Avoid People", consisting of two glass display cases and gas cylinders. The works give a visual expression of the modern way of death, as a mysterious activity taking place behind closed doors of hospital wards, with results that are removed quickly and efficiently.

Especially for this exhibition, the world famous Dutch sculptor Folkert de Jong created a large installation based on the idea of the Anatomical Theater. The primacy of matter over thoughtform in the very heart of the exhibition, inviting visitors to the center of space in which they are acutely aware of the fragility of their own existence. Folkert de Jong sees the anatomical theater as a starting point for exploring the balance of power between a work of art, an artist and a spectator.

The exhibition is the result of a partnership between the following museums in the Netherlands: Amsterdam Museum Mauritshuis in The Hague, Museum Boerhaave in Leiden and Museum het Prinsenhof in Delft.

Anna Sidorova © Gallerix.ru