Galvani, as all illustrious physicians in Bologna, holds lectures and demonstrations of human anatomy in his private house, and, in particular occasions, in public, following an ancient tradition. The public lectures assumed the character of knowledge evidence and of technical capability and were attended by many people.
Galvani’s public lectures are held in the Anatomical Theater, built in 1631 with fir wood; it has a quadrilateral structure, delimited by seats and balconies from where the public observes the laboratory lecture of anatomy using the dissector table located at the center of the room. The walls of the room are ornated with busts of renowned physicians, the ceiling with lavish decorations of renaissance symbols recalling the analogy between microcosm and macrocosm.
In 1782 Galvani becomes professor of obstetrics at the Institute of Sciences, succeeding Antonio Galli, who started the Obstetrics Museum, a collection of 170 anatomical models, in wax and baked clay, which illustrate the different phases of pregnancy up to delivery; they were used for teaching purposes to physicians and midwives.
1) Anatomical Theatre, Archiginnasio Palace of Bologna.
2) Detail of the ceiling.
3) Obstetric Museum at the Institute of Sciences of Bologna:
clay model of a large uterus with two fetuses of nine months.
