Podcast Summary:

New Books Network — Taylor McCall, "The Art of Anatomy in Medieval Europe" (Reaktion Books, 2023)
Host: Yana Byers
Guest: Dr. Taylor McCall
Date: November 28, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Yana Byers interviews Taylor McCall, managing editor of the Journal of the Medieval Academy of America, about her book The Art of Anatomy in Medieval Europe (Reaktion Books, 2023). The conversation explores the origins, purposes, and visual evolution of anatomical images in medieval manuscripts, unraveling how medical, religious, and artistic values interwove in these rare works. McCall discusses the intellectual and material contexts that generated such diagrams, their surprising origins, and their transition over centuries from devotional tools to medical manuals and artistic curiosities.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Taylor McCall’s Path to Medieval Anatomy (03:35)

• Academic Roots: McCall’s fascination began in undergraduate studies at the University of Virginia, inspired by a mentor focused on Carolingian scientific manuscripts.
• Research Journey: A master’s at the Courtauld Institute of Art initiated her focus on anatomical images in manuscripts. Later, a doctoral program at Cambridge deepened her research, leading to the book.
• Writing for All Audiences: McCall crafted the book to be accessible to both specialists and the general educated public, intentionally moving beyond the highly academic approach of her dissertation.

What Constitutes a Medieval Anatomical Diagram? (06:34)

• Defining ‘Anatomy’: McCall clarifies that her study focuses on illustrations "attached to medical or anatomical texts," to distinguish them from the wider iconographic body images common in religious or allegorical medieval art.
• Manuscript Origins: Nearly all extant images come from manuscript tradition, produced initially by monks and later by students and professionals of medicine.

Geographical and Chronological Context (09:33)

• First Appearances: The earliest dated anatomical images are from Bavaria, circa 1165.
• Spread: The tradition flourished mainly in Italy, with appearances in England, France, and Germany, covering a period from about 1165 to the early 16th century.

Notable Quote ([10:25]):
"The earliest images were produced... 1165 in Bavaria, a little monastery in Bavaria is where we see the first anatomical images."
— Taylor McCall

Intellectual Influences and Knowledge Transfer (10:38–12:07)

• Late Antique Roots: Most medieval anatomical images are believed to be copies, or descended from, late Roman (late antique) prototypes, possibly of Greek origin.
• Knowledge Networks: Similar diagrams appear in the Middle East, suggesting a shared antiquity, but medieval European examples survive earlier.

The Book’s Structure: Anatomy and Cosmos — Surgery — Artists (12:41)

• Cosmos:
  • Monastic Contexts: Early images appear in books combining religious and medical material, reflecting a worldview in which science and spirituality were inseparable.
  • Astrological Medicine: Medical diagrams linked specific body parts to zodiac signs, informing procedures like bloodletting.

Notable Quote ([12:56]):
"A significant portion of everyday medical care was bloodletting... The images that accompany those writings are really interesting. They kind of directly link organs in the body to different planets or zodiac signs."
— Taylor McCall

• Surgery:
  • Italian Innovators: Late 13th–early 14th century Italy saw the emergence of medical schools where human dissection began and new, purpose-drawn anatomical illustrations were created as medical teaching tools.
  • Notable Surgeons: Figures like Mondino de Luzzi (who did not include images) and Henri de Monville (who did) typified this pedagogical turn.

Notable Quote ([21:01]):
"The earliest anatomical manuals that were created by, you know, men that we know were dissecting corpses... were set up as kind of a step by step. This is the first thing you should do, this is the second thing you should do..."
— Taylor McCall

• Artists:
  • Courtly Manuscripts: Luxury books for wealthy patrons began mixing scientific motifs and artistry, with anatomical forms appearing where viewers might expect courtly scenes or religious iconography.
  • Evolution to Naturalism: This era preluded Renaissance artists like Leonardo da Vinci, but even before him, the merging of scholarly and artistic interest set the stage.

Why Were Monks Interested in Anatomy? (18:51)

• Theological Integration: Monks saw no distinction between science and religion. Studying the body was a means to understand God’s creation and order, placing "physical self in relation to God’s grand plan."
• Didactic Reminder: Anatomical diagrams reinforced spiritual contemplation and the interconnectedness of body, cosmos, and faith.

Notable Quote ([18:51]):
"There was a way to connect every single aspect of our physical selves with our spiritual selves. So by showing the way the bones fit together or the way the veins ran through the body, these diagrams were meant to help a monk understand his physical self in relation to God's grand plan."
— Taylor McCall

Dissection and Medical Manuals (21:01–24:47)

• Rare Procedures: Dissection was infrequent, especially outside Italy, so images served as essential substitutes for direct observation.

• Manuals’ Role: Stepwise illustrations supported teaching of practical anatomy and surgical procedures in medical curricula.

• Example: Henri de Monville included images "to help his readers... because he knew that dissection was so rare and he wanted his students to be able to see what he had seen" ([23:43]).

Artistic Flourishes & Courtly Manuscripts (25:35)

• Creative Margins: Manuscript illuminators, taking advantage of a growing luxury book market, inserted anatomical imagery in decorative margins, substituting organs for the playful animals and courtly motifs found in other genres.
• Aesthetic Ambition: These works sometimes featured lavish use of color and gold, blending scientific interest with artistic patronage.

Abstract Diagrams vs. Naturalistic Representation (28:43)

• Abstract Origins: Early images are highly geometric and abstract (e.g., diagrams of the womb), reflecting medieval traditions of simplifying complex knowledge into visual form.
• Later Naturalism: Over time, growing desire for accurate, narrative images led to illustrations that more closely resembled anatomical reality.
• Pedagogical Diversity: The purpose and visual logic of images shifted according to context and intended audience.

What Were These Images For? (31:23–33:27)

• Multiple Purposes: No single meaning—some images reflected classroom debates or religious meditation; others offered basic medical knowledge, astrological rules, or new anatomical discoveries.
• No Unified System: The variety mirrors ongoing debates in medicine and philosophy, such as the role of women in reproduction.
• Transmission: The images and their traditions persisted due to accessibility and pedagogical function, with some becoming especially influential due to clarity and ease of copying.

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• On the earliest diagrams’ date and locale:
  "The earliest images were produced... 1165 in Bavaria, a little monastery in Bavaria." (10:25)
• On the spiritual purpose of monastic anatomical diagrams:
  "These diagrams were meant to help a monk understand his physical self in relation to God's grand plan." (18:51)
• On rare dissections informing image creation:
  "He wanted his students to be able to see what he had seen, basically. Now the images are... not very detailed, so it's not... meant to directly reveal exactly what you would have seen, but more... give a reader... an idea." (23:43)
• On abstract vs. naturalistic images:
  "As the Middle Ages wears on... that's when we see... a picture of her womb as it would appear, you know, quote unquote, as it would appear if you were dissecting her." (28:43)
• On the diversity of purposes behind medieval anatomical images:
  "It really depends on the author... It's more of something where you're... supposed to... take from it what you need to take from it." (31:48)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Taylor McCall’s Academic Background: (03:35)
• Defining Medieval Anatomical Images: (06:34–08:35)
• Earliest Dated Diagrams & Spread: (09:33–10:38)
• Knowledge Networks & Image Origins: (10:38–12:07)
• Structure of the Book / Thematic Overview: (12:41–18:30)
• Monks and the Spiritual Role of Anatomy: (18:51–21:01)
• Manuals and Dissection Practices: (21:01–24:47)
• Artistry in Courtly Manuscripts: (25:35–28:09)
• Abstract vs. Narrative Representations: (28:43–31:23)
• Purpose and Audience for Images: (31:23–34:52)
• Taylor McCall’s Current & Future Projects: (35:02–36:13)

Tone & Language

McCall’s tone is enthusiastic, thoughtful, and scholarly, aiming to make arcane or technical material accessible and vivid. Yana Byers fosters a conversational, engaging environment, asking clarifying questions and drawing out connections for general listeners.

Final Takeaways

• The art of anatomical illustration in medieval Europe was a multifaceted phenomenon at the intersection of scientific curiosity, religious worldview, and artistic expression.
• Medieval anatomical images served purposes ranging from spiritual meditation to practical surgical instruction, and evolved in both aesthetics and function across centuries.
• The book provides accessible entry points for scholars and casual readers alike, illuminating a rich, often overlooked tradition.