Anatomy in Black: A New Anatomical Atlas in Black and Gold by Artist and Anatomist Emily Evans

Morbid Anatomy Artist and Anatomist in residence Emily Evans has just published a gorgeous and eminently covetable new anatomical atlas entitled Anatomy in Black. With over 250 illustrations custom created by Evans and rendered entirely in black and gold, this book will, in the words of its maker, lead "you stylishly through the human body from head to toe. This book is a perfect companion for those interested in anatomy, regardless of their previous knowledge of the subject matter."

The Morbid Anatomy Museum will be hosting a talk by Evans, and party to celebrate the release of the book this Wednesday, November 11th; you can find out more, and get tickets, by clicking here; you can also preorder a copy of the book by clicking here.

Morbid Anatomy asked Evans--who in addition to her illustration acts as Senior Demonstrator of Anatomy at Cambridge University, where she teaches dissection and anatomy--to share a bit about the book, and her motivation in making it; below is her response, in the form of a guest post:

I wanted to create a sophisticated and luxurious book of anatomy and the perfect object to have on your coffee table to dip into or spark conversations when guests are over for cocktails. A sexy anatomy book if you like!

I’ve spent years illustrating some of the most high profile medical textbooks of anatomy, which need to adhere to the ‘educational’ aesthetic. Although this makes them clear for learning, it’s not necessarily a book someone would want on display. This is particularly apt if someone hasn’t studied anatomy, they may feel the standard anatomy books, though having beautiful images, are completely inaccessible for someone who is merely a voyeur of anatomy.

Creating the book entirely in decadent gold and black was key to reproducing anatomical imagery in a contemporary format that had not been done before. This allows the images to be framed in a way that they appear quite abstract, and can be appreciated for their beauty, shape and design without the preconceptions of traditional anatomical imagery that we’re used to (the familiar coloured anatomical images that can trigger many people to feel squeamish or back at school).

It was crucial to me that the illustrative content of the book was a reflection of the same level that anatomy students need to know with nothing omitted or dampened for the lay audience. My experience teaching anatomy and human dissection for the last 14 years has aided me in including the relevant information in a clear and concise manner. The ultimate aim is that it is a book that showcases the beauty of human anatomy in a way that is of interest to both professionals and spectators alike.