A half‐sized écorché by Talrich (19th century) description of an anatomical model in plaster on a posterior view (923.3)

During the 19th century, the anatomical models in plaster were frequent but were still in balance between the expressionism of the previous centuries and the cold reality of the anatomical dissections. This half‐sized, posterior view of a model of Jules Talrich who was an official molder in the “Faculté de Médecine de Paris” in this times (1856) was exactly between this two extremes with a tendancy to a complete respect of the representation of the anatomical structures. The écorché was in a prone position near the anatomical position of reference with the exception of an abduction of 15° degree of each lower limb and a left upper limb with the hand laid on the occiput, the arm in elevation and the elbow flexed at 90°. The different layers of the represented muscles were described in each main region. The representation of the muscles were noticeable different between the two lower limbs. The anatomical veracity of the model was very good and the artistic rendering was limited. A metallic plate embedded in the plaster permitted to authentify its author as Talrich. The model was 87cm high, 56cm wide and 11cm thick. It was posteriorly hollowed on the opposite side and not colored.