Exquisite corpses

It was a wonderful quality of Leonardo da Vinci’s, that he had the abilities, both mental and practical, necessary to reach the minutiae of a subject such as to become almost an expert in fields that were not his own. Trained in painting early on in life, but with an inexhaustible fascination for scientific learning, he collected ‘interests’ like one might collect ticket stubs. He took care of each one, obsessing over it, although, as happens often with hobbies, forgetting about then for a while. Leonardo’s works on anatomy were some of the most detailed he carried out, intending for them to be published. His beginnings in the field concerned the true representation of nature, in particular human and animal images, in art. Initially, Leonardo wanted to describe human nature, in its physiological and psychological aspects, for a treatise on painting.

His first anatomical studies were of little scientific value, being, in essence, amalgamations of ancient knowledge. Even so, they were compelling for their inventiveness and (somehow) wit. One drawing depicts, in hemisection, a man and a woman having sex, where some spiritual beliefs of the era – such as the belief that semen comes from the head – win out over science.

However, when Leonardo began dissecting animals and obtained access to human remains, his anatomical drawings became observations, and occasionally, interpretations, of the truth. He was, moreover, capable of accepting the new ideas that resulted from his descriptive studies, thus progressing to a degree unparalleled in 15th century anatomy. There are drawings of his that can favourably compare to modern anatomical work. For example, a study exposing the muscles in the leg is remarkable for the precision with which Leonardo carried out the dissection, especially under the adverse conditions prevailing at the time, with cadavers un-embalmed and falling apart.

The scientific accuracy of the anatomical drawings is paramount to their success. But their supreme beauty, commonly associated with Leonardo’s works, is what gives them life and vigour. The delicacy of a drawing depicting the nervous system, including some of the complexities of cranial nerves, spinal cord and spinal nerves, is entrancing. Whilst looking at this representation of nature, one could imagine instead seeing a ghostly figure clothed in a web of infinite knowledge. There is, for one further example, a drawing that, whilst confused anatomically, posits a solution that could be seen as more poetic than that which nature provided. Leonardo, not knowing that muscles could be ring-shaped, was unable to understand how sphincter muscles functioned. So he believed the muscles in the – ahem – anus were five, shaped into an opening and closing flower.

Unfortunately, the excellent exhibition Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomist, showing Leonardo’s anatomical drawings at the Royal Collection, closes this coming Sunday. The drawings are displayed with simplicity, in chronological order, some juxtaposed with modern anatomical drawings, allowing visitors to see both Leonardo’s thought development and the perfection of detail he achieved. For anyone who would still like to see these, despite the forthcoming closure, there is – of course – an app available.