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Wretchs Illustrations of Shakespeare, no. 1 & 2
Unknown, 1829, Lithograph
Item
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Wretchs Illustrations of Shakespeare, no. 1 & 2
Wretchs Illustrations of Shakespeare, no. 1 & 2
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Category
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Item no
21661
Title
Wretch's Illustrations of Shakespeare: dedicated without permission, no.1 & 2
Description
At the top of this illustration is three images of Dr Robert Knox from different angles. He is depicted balding, wearing glasses, a blue coat and yellow waistcoat. The bottom image shows Knox dissecting a cadaver in front of an auditorium of students.
Artist / maker
Unknown
Engraver
R.H.Nimmo
Date
1829
Type
Lithograph
Location
Edinburgh and Scottish Collection
This is the first two illustrations from 'Wretch's Illustrations of Shakespeare' and they depict Dr Robert Knox. The lithographic prints consist of caricatures of the main people involved in the case of William Burke and William Hare drawn by R.H Nimmo.
Dr Robert Knox was the anatomical lecturer by whom the bodies provided by Burke and Hare were dissected. He is described as 'a prominent nocturnal Luminary under partial Observation.'
Dr Robert Knox (1791-1862) first began to lecture on anatomy in 1825 and became very popular. On average over three hundred students attended his lectures at No 10, Surgeons Square. Sometimes there were over five hundred, which meant he had to repeat the lecture three times in one day as there was not enough room for them all in the lecture hall. Although the bodies were sold to Dr Knox Burke said in the 'Courant' confession that 'Dr Knox never incoureged him'.
William Burke and William Hare provided corpses for dissection by murdering people, but for almost one hundred years corpses had been provided from recent graves by people known as 'resurrectionists'. People had taken various self-help measures such as placing cages known as mortsafes over graves, or paying subscriptions to gravewatching societies, which meant the graveyards would be patrolled by armed guards. None of these methods was foolproof. But the crimes of Burke and Hare created so much anxiety amongst the public that in 1832 the Anatomy Act was passed which ensured a legal supply of bodies for anatomists.
Exhibitions with this item
Burke and Hare's Edinburgh
Graveyards and cemeteries of Edinburgh
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