Bernhard Siegfried Albinus on human anatomy

Whilst taking a look at a PDF of the book Anatomy for the Artist by Sarah Simblet (http://www.pdf-archive.com/2014/02/26/anatomia-obbligatorio-simblet-anatomyforartist-intero/anatomia-obbligatorio-simblet-anatomyforartist-intero.pdf), I came across Bernhard Siegfried Albinus. 

"Bernhard Siegfried Albinus is perhaps best known for his monumental Tabulae sceleti et musculorum corporis humani, which was published in Leyden in 1747, largely at his own expense. The artist and engraver with whom Albinus did nearly all of his work was Jan Wandelaar (1690-1759). In an attempt to increase the scientific accuracy of anatomical illustration, Albinus and Wandelaar devised a new technique of placing nets with square webbing at specified intervals between the artist and the anatomical specimen and copying the images using the grid patterns. Tabulae was highly criticized by such engravers as Petrus Camper, especially for the whimsical backgrounds added to many of the pieces by Wandelaar, but Albinus staunchly defended Wandelaar and his work."

"The foundation for Albinus's illustrations is the human skeleton. Many anatomical drawings begin with the outside of the human body and then work their way deeper, but Albinus carefully removed all the muscle and ligaments so that the illustrations begin with the skeleton. He preserved the soft tissue and then added it to the skeleton to make his "muscle-man".

In the "Account of the Work" at the beginning of his book Albinus gives a detailed explanation of the methods he used to prepare his skeleton and muscle-man. For support he used a tripod as well as numerous cords passed through the spine, arms, and legs that were then attached to his walls and ceiling. After making minor adjustments with pieces of paper and wood, he explains how he checked the accuracy of the skeleton's pose, "I next looked out for a thin man, of the same size with my skeleton, and making him stand naked in the same position, I compared the skeleton with him." Albinus endeavoured to set a new standard in anatomical illustration by developing a technique of viewing the specimen through nets with grids that made the perspective and proportion of the human body more accurate. 

In addition to the plates of skeletons and muscle-men, each placed in a lush, natural scene that helps to animate the figures and "emphasize the harmonious and natural beauty of the body," there are over 300 superb drawings of separate muscles and muscle groups."

I find the repetition of this series interesting as each plate is different but very similar. The presentation of the layers of the human body is fascinating as well. It is an innovative way to explore human anatomy in an artistic way. It also aids in understanding the layers of the human body from the skeleton to the external muscles.