The Bone Room :: Leiden Anatomical Theatre

W. Swanenburg: Anatomical theatre in Leiden, engraving (after a drawing by Woudanus), 1610.

A souvenir engraving sold to visitors at the Leiden anatomical theatre.

The mottos on the flags carried by the skeletons include: "nascentes morimur" (to be born is to die), "mors ultima linea rerum" (death is the line that marks the end of all), "mors sceptra ligonibus aeqvat" (death wrenches from the hand the sceptre as well as the spade), "pulvis & umbra sumis**" (we are dust and shadow).

Note, in particular, the human skin being displayed in the lower right corner of the picture; Director de Plume believes that this is the famed 'armour of skin' long missing from its Iron Robe in Intersol. MoD is now undertaking a fund-raising drive to raise the necessary monies to send a representative to Leiden to physically ascertain whether the discarded skin is still there. Perhaps in the Lost and Found. Please contact the Directorate if you want to make a donation to this very worthy cause.

This important image was found by our dedicated team of researchers and scholars on the Art-Bin Imagery from the history of medicine issue >>

** Incidentally the motto of MoD