ENTRE O DISFORME E O MONSTRO: O CORPO ESPETÁCULO

• DOI: 10.22533/at.ed.82119250415

• Palavras-chave: Corpo defeituoso; Fotografia médica; Cultura Visual

• Keywords: Defective body; Medical photography; Visual Culture.

• Abstract:

  If the majority of diseases can

  be detectable, it has an organicity, visibility,

  and finally, it is a data from which a medical

  action can be developed, we understand that it

  is not mere chance that the deformities of the

  diseased body apprehend the attention of the

  physicians and were historically represented.

  Since the Renaissance period this misshapen

  body, considered as imperfect, began to be

  considered monstrous and was amply illustrated.

  Although many of these illustrations have not

  been considered relevant to the understanding

  and study of human anatomy, they have been

  disseminated in specialized works or have

  been published only for the sake of curiosity,

  satisfying the mere visual exploration of a

  physical appearance, considered different and

  therefore disturbing. From these observations,

  we propose a reflection on the visibility of body

  deformities through the medical photographs

  produced by the physician / photographer 

  Konstantin Christoff (1923-2011) at the Santa Casa de Misericórdia in Montes ClarosMG, in the middle of the 20th century. Thus, we will reflect on the images of the lesions

  of the dermatological pathologies, as was the case of epidemics such as smallpox,

  severe deformities, hermaphrodites, individuals affected by gigantism, among others

  who historically received visual attention and promoted the Visual Culture of Medicine.

• Número de páginas: 15