The space of Renaissance anatomy is not solely in the physical theatre.
As this collection demonstrates, the space of the theatre encompasses
every aspect of Renaissance culture, from its education systems, art,
and writing to its concepts of identity, citizenship, and the natural
world. This book argues that Renaissance anatomy theatres were spaces of
intersection that influenced every aspect of their culture, and that
scholars should broaden their concept of anatomy theatres to include
more than the physical space of the theatre itself. Instead, we should
approach the anatomy theatres as spaces where cultural expression is
influenced by the hands-on study of human cadavers. This book enters the
ongoing conversation surrounding Renaissance anatomy by dialogically
engaging with such scholars as Jonathan Sawaday, Merry E. Wiesner-Hanks,
Kathryn Schwarz, and primary texts such as 'De humani corporis fabric',
Montaigne's 'Essais', and Shakespearean plays. The book also features
Renaissance artwork alongside works by Laurence Winram.