Bodily and Pictorial Surfaces: Skin in French Art and Medicine, 1790-1860 (original) (raw)

The essay examines the representation of skin in French art and medicine between 1790 and 1860, highlighting the evolving conceptions of skin during this period. It argues that artistic renderings of the human body's surface reflect broader medical discourses and notions of boundaries in the context of neoclassicism. Focusing on artists Jacques-Louis David and Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, the work explores the intersection of art and medical knowledge, emphasizing how such representations articulate contemporary understandings of the skin as both a boundary and a communicative membrane.