Back to the Past: Are Anatomy Online Classes Reminiscent of the Anatomy Theaters of Old?

Huat Bay, Boon; Pawlina, Wojciech

Many people would be aware of the famous oil painting 'Anatomy of Dr Nicholaes Tulp' (which can be viewed at the Royal Picture Gallery Mauritshuis in the Hague, The Netherlands), by Rembrandt van Rijn. It was commissioned for the Amsterdam Guild of Surgeons in 1632 (Ingham, 2010). Dr Tulp, a practicing physician and surgeon, was at that time appointed as Praelector in Anatomy in charge of public dissections. What is remarkable about this painting (despite some anatomical errors) is the master strokes of Rembrandt in displaying anatomical details and muscle function which Dr. Tulp demonstrated by elevating the flexor digitorum superficialis of the dissected forearm with his right hand, and the movements produced by this muscle (flexion of the digits) with his left hand (Mellick et al., 2007).