Title page of Myotomia reformata - CARLI Digital Collections Featured Image

I'm usually of the Janet Weiss school of thought when it comes to the male physique, but yowza! In other words, this engraved frontispiece introduces the subject matter of William Cowper’s anatomical treatise on the muscles of the human body quite nicely.

So nicely, in fact, that at first glance the particulars of the scene might almost escape notice. What specifically the scene represents and why it was chosen as a lead-in to the text, I couldn’t say. But that’s no ordinary slab of beefcake in the foreground: The wings and scythe are emblems of the Angel of Death. The beard and bald pate--excepting the sinister forelock--may allude to the old-as-time archetype; unlike grimmer skeletal personifications, however, this incarnation appears very human, masculine, vital and ageless. (In other words, this reaper is ripped!) By opting for flight over fight, the comparably posed background figure allows an appreciation of the dorsal musculature.

The complete volume of the 1724 edition contains initials adorned with myotomical details, but it's title pages only in this digital collection of 16th and 17th century medical texts from the Library of Health Sciences. Be forewarned: While most of the imagery is innocuous, the collection includes a few gruesome illustrations. Oh, and there’s some lovely typography as well.

Written by Ellen K. Corrigan, Assistant Professor, Cataloging Services, Booth Library, Eastern Illinois University

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