Istituto anatomico di Siena

albumen print photograph (255 x 128mm.), mounted on a card with a printed caption, and the photographer's blindstamp "Cav. Paolo Lombardi, fotografo, Siena"

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The Istituto anatomico di Siena had a museum of anatomical collections, which were considered vital to the teaching of the institute. In 1882 there was a conference on health in Modena, and participants were invited to exhibit specimens particularly relating to the nervous system. The one depicted here is of an eleven-year-old boy.

Bianchi and Lachi were both dissectors at the Istituto, which at the time was directed by Guglielmo Romiti, and they both wrote numerous works on anatomy. Lachi also wrote on approaches to teaching anatomy, as well as a catalogue of the holdings of the anatomical museum of the University of Siena.

The nervous system was the subject of research by Camillo Golgi (1843-1926), who established that it could be stained by the use of silver nitrate and visualised more clearly.

Paolo Lombardi was active as a photographer in Siena from 1849 to 1890.