Human Skulls, for "Art Anatomy" 1872

Editor: Here we have William Rimmer's "Human Skulls, for 'Art Anatomy'," undated, a pencil drawing. I'm struck by how clinical yet fragile these depictions feel. What can you tell me about this drawing? Curator: Consider Rimmer's social context and his interests in both art and medicine. This piece is not only about the subject, but the *process* of observation, the *materiality* of the pencil, and the larger social need for anatomical knowledge. Editor: So, it's about the act of creating knowledge, not just the knowledge itself? Curator: Precisely. Rimmer wasn't just drawing skulls; he was engaging in a system of production, making information accessible. The very act of drawing, the labor involved, transforms the skull into something else. Food for thought, isn't it? Editor: It definitely makes me rethink how I see anatomical drawings!