Rose Holz, associate director of the women's and gender studies program and director of the humanities in medicine program, will deliver a talk entitled, "Art in the Service of Medical Education: The Robert L. Dickinson-Belskie Birth Series and the Use of Sculpture to Teach the Process of Human Development from Fertilization through Delivery," at the New York Academy of Medicine on April 13, 2017.
In her talk, Holz examines the life of Dr. Robert L. Dickinson (1861-1950), sexologist, gynecologist, artist extraordinaire (and highly active Academy Fellow), investigating the hugely influential Birth Series sculptures he created in 1939 with fellow artist Abram Belskie. The Birth Series illustrates the process of human development from fertilization through delivery. First displayed to much fanfare at the 1939-1940 New York City World's Fair, the sculptures were reproduced in a variety of forms and sent out to medical teaching institutions and public health museums across the nation and the globe. Their effect, moreover, cannot be underestimated. The Birth Series both shaped modern gynecological education for aspiring practitioners and educated lay individuals in matters of pregnancy and reproduction and gave rise to new understandings of pregnancy radically different from those that held sway in the 1800s. In doing so, it also helped create the language and imagery central to modern reproductive politics.
The event is free to attend, though registration is required. See here for more details.
