Robert Knox and the anatomy of beauty: Figure 1

Abstract

Robert Knox (1791-1862) is typically remembered as the Edinburgh anatomist to whom the murderers Burke and Hare sold the bodies of their victims. This association brought Knox infamy and damaged his life and career. Before the Burke and Hare scandal, Knox was one of the most famous, original and influential anatomists in Britain. He was also something of a dandy with a sophisticated appreciation of the visual arts. His most significant writings on artistic subjects were his books A Manual of Artistic Anatomy and Great Artists and Great Anatomists: A Biographical and Philosophical Study. Knox's interesting and independently minded opinions on the central artistic questions of his day were taken seriously by his contemporaries. His demotion in the official history of anatomy following his involvement with Burke and Hare, however, also removed him from the history of art theory in 19th century Britain. Knox was such a magnetic and impressive figure, though, that he has to be brought back to his era and his era is not complete without him. This paper discusses how Knox's writings on anatomy and biology shaped his contributions to art theory. It is a first step towards returning Knox, the art theorist, to the cultural life of 19th century Britain.

Mystery of Anatomy: Robert Knox

“…He served as an army surgeon in Brussels, and his first task was to deal with the wounded of the Battle of Waterloo. [21][22][23][24] The Industrial Revolution, which took place in the United Kingdom from around 1760 to 1830 and marked the beginning of modern age, signifies a shift from an agrarian to an industrial economy especially with the invention of the steam engine in 1775 by James Watt. [25,26] The spirit of scientific research and innovation of the Industrial Revolution prompted scientists to unlock the secrets of the human body, which is the most perfect and complex of all machines.…”

“…Knox became familiar not only with the theories of Cuvier and Saint-Hilaire on comparative anatomy but also with the new ideas of racism and colonialism. [23,24] After Knox returned to Edinburgh in 1822, he started to work in the Chair of Anatomy of the School of Medicine at the University of Edinburgh upon the proposal of Dr. John Barclay. He published his studies on the treatment of necrosis, bone regeneration, pericarditis and tapeworm in the Edinburgh Medical Journal between 1821 and 1823.…”

“…He published his studies on the treatment of necrosis, bone regeneration, pericarditis and tapeworm in the Edinburgh Medical Journal between 1821 and 1823. [21][22][23][24] Knox proposed a plan for a museum of anatomy to exhibit the comparative anatomical samples, which had been collected by Dr. John Barclay for more than twenty years. After the adoption of the plan in 1825, Knox was appointed as the founding executor of the Museum of Comparative Anatomy in 1826 and remained in that post until 1831.…”

“…After the adoption of the plan in 1825, Knox was appointed as the founding executor of the Museum of Comparative Anatomy in 1826 and remained in that post until 1831. [21][22][23][24] The same year, following the death of John Barclay, Knox started to teach anatomy and surgery to about 300 students in the Department of Anatomy of the Edinburgh School of Medicine. He also performed a large number of dissections during that period.…”

Public hygiene and funeral rituals during the Risorgimento: mummies and ashes

“…7. Allister Neher (2011), “Robert Knox and the anatomy of beauty”: 50. https://doi:10.1136/jmh.2011.00721110.1136/jmh.2011.007211…”