The wax woman of Bologna

View PDF 

The University of Bologna can trace its origins back to 1088, making it the probably the oldest university in the world. Its medical school was founded around 1288; anatomy, especially the demonstrations held in the Anatomical Theatre, attracted students from across the Western world. The 16th century was perhaps the acme of its fame but by the end of the 17th century the university was in crisis, its declining roll resulting in a significant loss of lucrative foreign student fees. To address the problem it was decided to create an Institute of Sciences. Founded in 1711, it aimed to renew the university’s focus on observation and experiment as opposed to abstract theory. However, the anatomical collection of mummified human cadaver parts had deteriorated significantly with repeated use in demonstrations, so a set of durable wax models was commissioned to supplement them.