As it is frequently the case with The Festival Season, a quick trip online to find an image or research a topic turned into a two hour journey into another world. An idea came to me a while ago about doing a page in the novel that was inspired by 19th century medical illustrations. It sounds kinda gimmicky, but the idea just wouldn't leave and you know how that is. I started looking for some examples to get me going and I came across a collection of plates by a man named Joseph Maclise (1850-1880). He did these very artistic illustrations with oil paints and it's obvious the man loved the human body. Less Hippocrates, more...Walt Whitman. Nature and sensuality, they are inseparable.
The image above came from one of these plates and I was puzzled by the ropes at the ankle. I read that anatomy models were often tied down to hold their poses, but that's not uh...what I er...thought of when I saw the ropes in this drawing. Bondage was not unheard of during the Victorian era and I can't help but feel as if the artist was invoking multiple meanings.
The way that I want the extent of Joseph's scarring to be revealed is starting to take shape and finding Maclise's illustrations has been a huge stroke of luck.
In case anyone is curious about the curious, I also found a lot to sink my teeth into at a research library called Morbid Anatomy which maintains a fascinating blog.
Did you know that there were virtual museums? This is the best idea ever. Morbid Anatomy has all kinds of artifacts and virtual exhibits on anatomical art and other medical weirdness.
I feel like the deeper I go, the more that Harlan reveals himself to me.
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2 comments:
Ewwwww! I had a hunch that Morbid Anatomy isn't a site that's best visited right before bedtime...and I was right. But damn, that is some compelling stuff. I can't wait to read what you are cooking up, Kumari!
I can't wait to see where Harlan takes you, Kumari! Thanks for the link - I'm a sucker for that sort of thing.
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