Louis Thomas Jérôme Auzoux (1797–1880) - Écorché

Louis Thomas Jérôme Auzoux (1797–1880)
Écorché – Human Anatomical Model
Papier mâché, internal iron structure
Paris, circa 1850
Height: 135 cm


This life-sized anatomical model of a skinned man, or écorché, is a remarkable example of 19th-century educational innovation and craftsmanship. Created by the French physician and anatomist Louis Thomas Jérôme Auzoux, it represents a key advancement in the pedagogical tools available to medical students in the pre-modern era of medical imaging.
Around the 1820s, Auzoux sought alternatives to human cadaver dissection, which was often limited by religious, legal, and practical constraints. Drawing inspiration from earlier papier mâché models, he pioneered a revolutionary method of anatomical modeling. By developing a secret recipe for papier mâché—a compound made of pulped paper, glue, and other additives—he succeeded in creating solid, durable, yet lightweight anatomical models. These models were highly detailed, long-lasting, and relatively inexpensive to produce and transport.
What made Auzoux's models exceptional was their dissectability. Each figure could be taken apart into multiple components, with every organ and anatomical feature labeled for clarity. This modular system allowed students to learn through hands-on experience, assembling and disassembling the human body to understand its inner workings without the ethical or logistical complications of using real cadavers.
This écorché model likely served as a pedagogical centerpiece in a medical school, university, or teaching hospital. It reveals musculature in extraordinary detail, with flayed skin, exposed muscles, and bones—all crafted in painted papier mâché and supported internally by an iron framework for stability and longevity. The craftsmanship reflects both scientific precision and artistic skill, embodying Auzoux’s mission to unite medicine and mechanics.
Auzoux's anatomical models gained international fame, notably showcased at The Great Exhibition of 1851 in London, where they were praised for their scientific utility and innovative design. His models became standard equipment in medical institutions across Europe and beyond. Today, surviving examples are preserved in major scientific and historical collections, including the British Dental Association Museum (London), the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle (Paris), and the Musée de l’écorché d’anatomie (Le Neubourg).
This particular model, dating from around 1850, stands as a tangible testament to the convergence of science, pedagogy, and industrial artistry during the Second Empire in France. It also reflects the growing demand for standardised medical education during the 19th century, as well as the importance of anatomical knowledge in both medicine and the visual arts.

Bibliography:
Grob, B.W.J., The Anatomical Models of Louis Auzoux, in A Descriptive Catalogue, Colophon, Museum Boerhaave Communication 305, Leiden, 2004.
Degueurce, Christophe, Corps de papier : L’anatomie en papier mâché du docteur Auzoux, Paris, Éditions de La Martinière, 2012.
Gouriveau, Marion, « La fabrication des modèles anatomiques en papier mâché du docteur Auzoux », in Claude Laroque & Valérie Lee (dir.), Papiers en volumes, traditions asiatiques et occidentales : Actes de la journée d'études du 4 novembre 2016, Université Paris-Sorbonne, HiCSA, 2018.
Collectif, Prodiges de la nature : Les créations du docteur Auzoux (1797–1880), Collections de l’Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, Ministère de la Culture, DRAC Occitanie, 2017.