The late Frank Netter has been described as a medical Norman Rockwell, but a current exhibit of his illustrations makes the comparison seem macabre. Just imagine one of Rockwell’s frisky youths with part of his flesh pulled away to reveal an exquisite, gleaming maze of red and blue passageways. Generally regarded as one of the world’s greatest medical illustrators, Netter produced work that introduced medical students around the world to the subtleties of the human body for over 40 years.
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Up until his death last fall, Netter produced thousands of illustrations, covering human anatomy, embryology, and pathology, system by system. His vaguely surreal work combines a delicate sense of dimension with a sharp, merciless eye for detail. Even the smallest bundle of tissues glows with astonishing intricacy.
