Imag(in)ing anatomy : dissecting difference through the art of surgery
This thesis locates contemporary conceptualisations of gendered embodiment as a particular effect of the historical projects of anatomy and surgery as they emerged in eighteenth century Europe. Dissection, as a practice of surgery, sought to define knowledge of the body through the isolation of its structures and parts. Disembodied matter was articulated as evidence of embodied knowledge - knowledge concerning notions of sexual and racial difference, inscribed through a surgical narrative. The operations of the surgical knife in the dissection and isolation of matter were thus implicated in the construction of anatomical knowledge through notions of cultural difference. Yet surgeons/anatomists were reliant upon artistic processes of representation in order to disseminate and make intelligible knowledge of anatomy. The language of surgery as a 'scientific' discourse of the body drew heavily upon the representational language of art during this period. The Enlightenment surgeon was presented primarily as an artist, represented through a gentlemanly discourse of the liberal arts and social progressiveness. Within the context of a scientific discourse of anatomy, the methods of surgery were likened to the creative
Doyle, Julie
History
Imag(in)ing anatomy : dissecting difference through the art of surgery. This thesis locates contemporary conceptualisations of gendered embodiment as a particular effect of the historical projects of anatomy and surgery as they emerged in eighteenth century Europe. Dissection, as a practice of surgery, sought to define knowledge of the body through the isolation of its structures and parts. Disembodied matter was articulated as evidence of embodied knowledge - knowledge concerning notions of sexual and racial difference, inscribed through a surgical narrative. The operations of the surgical knife in the dissection and isolation of matter were thus implicated in the construction of anatomical knowledge through notions of cultural difference. Yet surgeons/anatomists were reliant upon artistic processes of representation in order to disseminate and make intelligible knowledge of anatomy. The language of surgery as a 'scientific' discourse of the body drew heavily upon the representational language of art during this period. The Enlightenment surgeon was presented primarily as an artist, represented through a gentlemanly discourse of the liberal arts and social progressiveness. Within the context of a scientific discourse of anatomy, the methods of surgery were likened to the creative
ing anatomy difference art surgery locates contemporary conceptualisation gendered embodiment particular effect historical project anatomy surgery emerge europe dissection practice surgery seek_define knowledge body isolation structure part matter articulate evidence embody knowledge knowledge concern notion sexual racial difference inscribed surgical narrative operation surgical knife dissection isolation matter thus implicate construction anatomical knowledge notion cultural_difference yet reliant upon artistic process representation order disseminate make_intelligible knowledge anatomy language surgery scientific_discourse body draw_heavily upon representational language art period enlightenment present primarily artist represent gentlemanly discourse liberal art social within_context scientific_discourse anatomy method surgery creative