Physiology@KSHEMA: The Anatomy Lesson of Nicolaes Tulp

I recently received via E-mail a funny story about "a anatomy lecture by Nicolaes Tulp". The story is something about an attempt by a beer-bamboozled Tulp claiming to tell the future by looking at forearm muscles or something to that effect. I thought some of you may want to know the real story behind "The Anatomy Lesson of Nicolaes Tulp"

(Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:The_Anatomy_Lesson.jpg)

The Anatomy Lesson of Nicolaes Tulp is the title of a painting by the legendary Dutch painter Rembrandt van Rijn. Dr. Nicolaes Tulp was a popular surgeon in the early 1600s in the city of Amsterdam as well as a seasoned politician who in fact served as the Magistrate of this European city. Dr. Tulp was appointed as the Praelector Anatomiae of the Amsterdam Gulid of Surgeons which was something like being named the head of anatomy faculty by the Surgeons association. As the Praelector, he conducted anatomy dissection demonstrations and lectures for the guild members (something like present day Continuing Medical Education – CME programs or Workshops!). Such dissections were performed on male criminals who were hung to death. In 1632, Rembrandt, who was just 26 at the time, was commissioned to paint a group portrait of the Praelector Dr. Tulp and the guild members. This painting is acclaimed as one of his finest works and is an example of the use of a technique called chiaroscuro – the dramatic use of light and shadows.

A Self Portrait - Rembrandt van Rijn (1606 - 1669)

(Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Rembrandt_van_rijn-self_portrait.jpg)

Interestingly, this painting is actually one in a series of “Lesson series” of paintings. The others include The Osteology Lesson of Dr Sebastiaen Egbertsz by Thomas de Keyzer (1619) and The Anatomy Lesson of Dr Jan Deijman by Rembrandt van Rijn, 1656.

The Osteology Lesson of Dr Sebastiaen Egbertsz by Thomas de Keyzer (1619)
(Image Source: http://z.about.com/d/arthistory/1/0/u/W/dp_ngl_0707_02.jpg)