William Rimmer: Instructor on Anatomy

The muscles of the back
from "Art Anatomy" by William Rimmer

"The most important result of the production of the 'St. Stephen' and 'The Falling Gladiator' was the interest which these works excited in Boston, and which led to the sculptor's being invited to the city to give lectures and instruction in art anatomy. Mr. Stephen Perkins and other prominent gentlemen united cordially in this invitation, yet Dr. Rimmer considered it with much hesitancy and misgiving. However, with the welfare of his family as his principal thought, he accepted the invitation.

On November 1, 1861, Dr. Rimmer began his lectures in room No. 55 of Studio Building. They were attended by old and young of all classes and both sexes, by artists who wished to learn, by literary people who came to enjoy an intellectual feast, and by physicians and other professionals who were delighted to see the human figure delineated and its art functions explained. No man had ever appeared in Boston who exhibited such knowledge, such facility in drawing every part of the figure, both in its details and in its composite character. 

His method of teaching was new. He drew in chalk upon a blackboard every bone and muscle with which the artist needed to be acquainted; first as an independent fact, and then in its relations to the formation of the complete figure. Each member of the body was next drawn, to illustrate its principal physical movements, actions, and purposes, and finally the entire figure was similarly illustrated. As soon as an object was drawn on the blackboard, the pupil was expected to copy it in his sketchbook, writing down the observations made in relation to it. While this was being done, the doctor went about among the pupils, giving hints and explanations. 

As soon as the pupil had attained proficiency, he was required to sketch upon the blackboard the exercises previously studied, to be criticized by the master and other pupils. The delineations were followed by the use of the skeleton and living models, Dr. Rimmer often taking from the audience some person as an illustration of the type of character under consideration."

(Excerpts from "The Art Life of William Rimmer: Sculptor, Painter, and Physician" by Truman Howe Bartlett.)