These bizarre beauties called “Anatomical Venuses” were created by sculptor Clemente Susini in the late 18th Century CE, and were conceived as a means to teach human anatomy without the need for dissecting real human bodies which was disgusting and messy. Susini’s uncannily lifelike wax models, often adorned with real human hair, wearing a tiara or pearls and looking seductive, were both anatomically accurate and profoundly artistic, drawing praise from both doctors and art historians from all around. During his illustrious career as a medical wax model sculptor spanning several decades, Clemente Susini created and oversaw the production of more than 2,000 models.
Josephinum Museum of the Medical University of Vienna
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