Archive
«Narodoznavchi Zoshyty» 2015 year, issue 2 read »
2009 year, issue 5-6 read »
«The Ethnology Notebooks» 2020 year, issue 2 read »
«Narodoznavchi Zoshyty» 2016 year, issue 3 read »

« 2025. # 1 (181)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2025. № 1 (181), 145—158

UDK 743(477.411)НАОМА:378.6.091.3:743

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

THE TERMINOLOGICAL FIELD OF THE CONCEPT «PLASTIC ANATOMY»: ITS ESSENCE AND ASPECTS OF THEORETICAL AND PRACTICAL SIGNIFICANCE IN HISTORICAL GENESIS

MELNYCHUK Anastasia

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9930-1652
  • Teacher of Plastic Anatomy, 
  • Senior Teacher of the Department of Digital Visual Arts
  •  National Academy of Fine Arts and Architecture,
  • 20, Voznesensky Uzviz, 04053, Kyiv, Ukraine,
  • Contacts: e-mail: a.melnychuk@naoma.edu

Abstract. The study is devoted to the definition of terminology and development of the concept of «plastic anatomy», which is extremely important in the context of modern science and art. Taking into account historical and cultural aspects, as well as changes in the scientific and artistic environment, allows us to rethink the role of plastic anatomy in the context of the development of medicine, art and education, which is what the relevance of our research focuses on. In particular, the preservation of traditional methods and materials, such as mannequins, in combination with new technologies and methods of studying anatomy, is important for the formation of the modern educational process in Ukraine. The purpose of the study is to study the evolution of the terminological field of the concept of «plastic anatomy», as well as to analyze the history of the development of plastic anatomy as a science and artistic discipline. Particular attention is paid to the study of the methods used in this study and their relationship with the stages of development of civilizations and cultures: historiographical and source analysis, as well as methods of art history (formal, stylistic), which allow us to study the evolution of plastic anatomy through the prism of works of art from different eras; this method is especially suitable for the analysis of works of art from the Renaissance period. This category of styles also includes: realism, naturalism: they are presented in all arts, especially in painting, sculpture and graphics. The idealistic style in art contributes to the understanding of the ideal of beauty as it is perceived by the mind. This style is inherent in Egyptian art, as well as ancient art — ancient Greek, ancient Roman; as well as works of art of the era of classicism, neoclassicism, etc. The artist adjusts reality in a certain way until he gets an idea of the beautiful. A whole series of methods is inherent in anatomy, which is the scientific basis of the art of plastic anatomy. One such method is plastination, a technique or process used in anatomy to preserve bodies or body parts. Very important for the research is the methodology and practical instructions that relate to the production of ecorches. Also, in the sense of applying traditional techniques, technologies and practical recommendations, it is important to turn to mock-up — this is the art of simulating injuries for the purpose of training emergency response teams and other medical and military personnel. 

Keywords: anatomy, plastic anatomy, ecorche, terminology in the field of art, art history and anatomy.

Received 27.01.2025

REFERENCE 

  • Ferrante, A. (1999). De humani corporis fabrica: la rivolta dell’anatomia. The dream of the butterfly [in Italian].
  • Cuyer, E., & Duval, M. (1988). History of Plastic Anatomy. Paris: L.H. May [in French].
  • Hopwood, N. (2007). Artist versus Anatomist, Models against Dissection: Paul Zeiller of Munich and the Revolution of 1848. Journal List, 51 (3), 279—308.
  • Vasari, G., Bondanella, J., & Bondanella, P. (Eds.). (1991). The Lives of the Artists. Oxford University Press. 
  • Jonker, M. (2017). The Academization of Art: A Practice Approach to the Early Histories of the Accademia Del Disegno and the Accademia Di San Luca. Universiteit van Amsterdam. 
  • Rogotchenko, O. (2012). Plastic Anatomy in the Context of the Development of Contemporary Domestic Fine Art. MIST: Art, History, Modernity, Theory, 8, 279—306 [in Ukrainian].
  • Hula, Y.P. (2017). Plasticity in Art. Bulletin of the National Academy of Managerial Staff of Culture and Arts, 4, 135—140 [in Ukrainian].
  • Trubnikova, L., & Svinaryov, V. (2017). Plastic Anatomy as a Component of Drawing. Ukrainian Academy of Arts: Collection of Research and Methodical Works (Issue 26) [in Ukrainian].
  • Pisyo, S.Y. (2024). Plastic Anatomy in Art. Ukrainian Art History Discourse, 1, 141—147 [in Ukrainian].
  • Andreikanich, A. (2010). Course of Human Plastic Anatomy: Textbook. Chernivtsi: Bukrek [in Ukrainian].
  • (2024). Document «Evolution of the Modern Term «Plastic Anatomy» (XV — early XXI centuries)» [in Ukra inian].
  • Tsaraklis, A. (2018). Evolution of Anatomy in European Medical Schools of the Middle Ages and Renaissance. 
  • Charalambakis, K. (2019). Linguistic and Lexical-Graphic. The Nonexistent Man with the Screw & the Stern Anna Tomia. Retrieved from: https://www.hartismag.gr/hartis-10/klimakes/o-anyparktos-andras-me-th-bida-h-anna-tomia# [in Greek].
  • On the walls of the Saqqara pyramids (Pyr. Texts, 135; 148—9; 1303—1315).
  • Armocida, G. (1993). History of Medicine (P. 400). Jaca Book Publishing. Retrieved from: https://books.google.com/books/about/Storia_della_medicina.html?id=goNucnnnI5QC [in Italian].
  • Alvarez-Diaz, J.A. (2015). History of Art and Pathological Anatomy: Autopsy in Modern Art. Ludus Vitalis, 23 (44), 279—295 [in Spanish].
  • Maggi’s, P. (2014). Dialogues in Philosophy of Medicine [in Italian].
  • On the walls of the Saqqara pyramids (Pyr. Texts, 135; 148—9; 1303—1315). 
  • Sanjib, Kumar. (2015). Human Cadaveric Dissection: A Historical Account from Ancient Greece to the Modern Era. Anat Cell Biol, 48 (3), 153—169. 
  • François, Tortebat. (2018). Abbreviated Anatomy, Adapted to the Arts of Painting and Sculpture. Forgotten Books [in French].
  • Mendelssohn, U. (1988). The First Textbooks of Anatomy for Artists in German and Bibliography of Artist’s Anatomy. Inaugural Dissertation for the Medical Doctorate at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Faculty of Medicine. Mainz [in German].
  • Elkins, James, & Williams, Robert. (Eds.). (2008). Renaissance Theory. Routledge.
  • Goethe, J.W. (1887). Plastic Anatomy (1832). In: Goethe’s Works. Weimar: Bohlaus [in German].
  • Natalukha, I.M., Apalkov, V.V., & Rybin, S.V. (2008). Plastic Anatomy: Textbook. Kharkiv: KhDADM; Maidan [in Ukrainian].
  • Duval, M., & Cuyer, E. (1889). History of Plastic Anatomy. The Masters, the Books, and the Flayed Figures [in French].
  • Kollmann, J. (1886). Plastic Anatomy of the Human Body for Artists and Art Enthusiasts [in German].
  • Bammes, G. (1990). Studies on the Form of the Human Body. Verlag Otto Maier GmbH. Ravensburg [in German].
  • Wilkinson, C. (2010). Facial Reconstruction — Anatomical Art or Artistic Anatomy? 
  • Clark, K. (1956). The Nude: A Study in Ideal Form. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
  • Melnychuk, A.I. (2023). Historical and Artistic Aspect of the Origin of the Term «Plastic Anatomy». Ukrainian Art History Discourse, 2, 73—83 [in Ukrainian].
  • Wilkinson, C. (2010). Facial Reconstruction — Anatomical Art or Artistic Anatomy? Journal of Anatomy, 216 (2), 235—250. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2009.01182.x
  • Pierguidi, S. (2014—2015). Francesco Salviati and the competition for the seal of the Accademia del Disegno. Florence: Leo S. Olschki Publisher [in Italian].
  • Sansovino, F. (1550). The Structure of the Human Body. Comin da Trino di Monferrato [in Italian].
Our authors
Olena Fedorchuk. Senior Research Fellow, Ph.D. read »
Oksana Sapeliak. Senior Research Fellow, Ph.D. in... read »
Roman Radovych. Researcher, Ph.D. in History. read »
Olena Nykorak. Senior Researcher, Doctor of Arts read »
On bessarabian and moldavian ukrainians in the studies of historical ethnography
The article has thrown some light upon a sum of scientific findings got during XIX to XXI cc. in historio-ethnographic studies of Bessarabia and Moldavian Ukrainians. In the pre­sent paper has been given author’s answer to the problem of lacking progress as for the numerous themes concerning Ukrainians. State and achievements of the research-works in Ukrainians’ material and spiritual culture by the scientists of Moldavia and Ukraine through the years of independence has been exposed.
Read »

Boikos’ pandemonium: categories of evil deceased
In the article have been presented some research-work on peculiarities of Boikos’ traditional demonological notions as for so-called evil deceased; on the basis of field records and ethnological literary sources quite a number of scum categories have been defined as well as essential habits, modes of behavior and functions of these personages of people’s demonology.
Read »

Daily bread baking of ukrainians in the south-western ethnographical region at the late XIX to early XXI cc.
The paper has dealt with analytic study in prescriptions, signs, customs, methods, ways of selection, procurement and some peculiarities in usage of subsidiary means — water, firewood and leaves in bread baking. The final aim of the mentioned actions had been (and still is) selection of the means and ingredients fit, by their characteristics, for the backing of bread. The paper has demonstrated dependence of bread backing subsi­diary means criteria from the folk nutritional standards and world outlook stereotypes as well as from regional social and economic, natural and geographical factors and peculiarities of material culture.
Read »

Traditional folk clothes of velikobychkovsky hutsuly of XIX — the first half of XX century
In the study based upon numerous field materials, literature sources as well as ethnographic, historio-cultural and regional museum collections has been performed complex analysis in traditional folk clothes by Hutzul population of Velyky Bychkiv village in Transcarpathian region. Detailed descriptions of femi­nine and masculine clothing complexes of the mentioned area have been presented. In characterizing of those main attention has been paid to the detail of cut in separate components of dress; cut of feminine shirt has been added as an illustration.
Read »