Drawing of a Man’s Skeleton 

James Ward made this skeletal drawing with pen and ink, during the late 18th and early 19th century, and it's more than just an anatomical study. Ward was working in a time of scientific advancement, particularly in medicine. Artists often studied anatomy to better represent the human form, but there was a social dimension to it. The era saw a growing interest in understanding the body, but also anxieties about death and disease. The drawing, with its detailed rendering of the skeleton, reflects this fascination. It’s both scientific and a reminder of mortality. We can see this drawing as Ward’s reflection on how society viewed science and medicine at the time. To truly understand the drawing we can delve into the social history of medicine. It can tell us a great deal about cultural attitudes towards the body, death, and the pursuit of knowledge in Ward’s England.