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Anatomical Model of the Eye (Clay Adams)

Psychology

Anatomically accurate model of an eye mounted on a brown wooden stand. Several parts are labelled and there are two components that open and close via a latch to reveal the inner workings of the eye. The actual eye socket can be fully detached.

Accession Number: 2011.psy.29

Alternative Name:

Primary Materials:

plastic, papier-mâché

Markings:

Manufacturer’s label on the stand: “Clay Adams Inc, 141 E. 25th St., New York; Models, Charts, Skeletons; Made in Japan”.

Dimensions (cm):

Stand: Height = 2, Width = 20, Length = 33. Model: Height = 20, Width = 16, Length = 26

Function:

Illustrate the inner workings of the eye.

Condition:

Excellent. Thin layer of grime is covering the object. One part has been dislodged.

Associated Instruments: 2011.psy.34, 2011.psy.67

Manufacturer:

Clay Adams Inc, New York, U.S.A. However this object was made in Japan.

Date of Manufacture: 1930s -1960s

Provenance:

Dept. of Psychology, University of Toronto

Additional Information and References:

Historical Notes:

Part of a trend in medical illustration to present the parts of the body as aesthetic objects. The choice to avoid the stark realism of the earlier wax models was part of a larger movement in western science in the second half of the twentieth century. These aesthetic traditions simplified, softened and thus helped physicians communicate graphic medical knowledge to students and patients, protecting them from the supposedly fearful reality of the human body.
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