Anatomische studie van menselijke huid en nagel 1737

This is an anatomical study of human skin and nails, made by Jan l' Admiral, most likely in the Netherlands sometime in the 18th century. The image is striking for its intense focus on the microscopic detail of skin and nails. Its creation would have been influenced by the rise of scientific rationalism in the Netherlands, and across Europe, during this period. Scientists and artists alike were eager to understand the natural world through careful observation and representation. But we can also see this image as embedded in the institutional context of medicine and natural history. Anatomical studies like this were crucial to medical education and research and the Dutch Republic was a center for scientific publishing. To understand the importance of the piece more fully, scholars might consider the medical texts and art academies of the day. The meaning of this art is contingent on its social and institutional context.