Just thought I'd share this print, which for some reason struck me as particularly creepy - Maybe it's the pose? The Chucky-y grin? It's from a book of anatomical plates printed in 1690, the artist was Gerard de Lairesse. (I spared y'all the ones of, for example, infants in mid-dissection - The rest of the ones being sold are at http://www.rareprintsgallery.com/store/category/bidloo ) These plates were the subject of one of the most famous early instances of outright plagiarism - Eight years later, British anatomist William Cowper reprinte these plates in England ... under his own name, with no mention of the original author or artists! He even used the original title page, and just covered up the Dutch title "with an irregular piece of paper."
Thanks for the link. I think this work is wonderful and used both these prints and others by the likes of Andreas Vesalius etc. as background for artwork that I created while completing my thesis in art school. The line work is exceptional.
Fantastic prints!! Naturally, the skull and skeleton prints are the most pricey! Aside from being amazing works of realistic art, these really emphasize the spirit of discovery that was going on back then...cut it apart and see what makes it work...the time that went into the studies and execution of the prints must have been immense... Thanks, Miami! Really neat stuff!
