Art and science in the Renaissance: the case of Walther Hermann Ryff.

Abstract

Few moments in mankind’s history have seen such an impressive cultural revolution as the one that occurred during the Renaissance. An entirely new concept of man emerged, and the philosophical principles of Humanism overcame the old ideas and ideals of the Medieval period. Besides the well-celebrated achievements in the fields of architecture, figurative arts, literature, and philosophy, science also presented important innovations, particularly in medical studies, which were strengthened by the Renaissance concepts of the centrality of humanity and the rejection of dogmatic knowledge. Medical schools had been flourishing throughout Europe since the 11th century, and a new figure was acquiring social and cultural relevance: The surgeon. In previous centuries, surgeons were considered lower level practitioners, since their profession was regarded as a form of craft. The emerging knowledge about human anatomy, partially due to the studies of enlightened artists such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, brought a new awareness about the role of surgical treatments. One of the most fascinating aspects of surgery during those times was the fact that it was performed by people representing the Renaissance ideal of polymath— people not only interested in one specific field, but endowed with a creative and inquisitive spirit so powerful that they were often also poets, artists, mathematicians, naturalists, and more. Although surgery had ascended beyond a mere craft, the profession still needed to find its own voice, and the invention of printing offered the chance to spread this new knowledge. The illustrations contained in those precious books made them works of art. As such, surgical knowledge was conveyed through art during the Renaissance. Today, these documents are admired as artwork, but they also can help us reconstruct Renaissance everyday life and trace the evolution of surgical techniques through time. In this column, we focus on one of these amazing books, Grossen Chirurgie (Great Surgery), by the German surgeon Walther Hermann Ryff. The book is considered both a masterpiece of Renaissance printing and among the most accurate sources to understand current concepts of traumatology during the Renaissance.