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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Un mystère : la technique de conservation mise en oeuvre par Honoré Fragonard pour créer ses fameux écorchés

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A two part overview of the techniques used by Honoré Fragonard to create and preserve (mainly against the insects) cutaway anatomical figures (" écorchés ") of animals or humans. The first part summarise the techniques preparing the dry anatomical specimens at that time, according to contemporary bibliographical data: selection and preparation of the bodies, then injection of the various organs and tissues (e.g: muscles, nerves, lymph and blood vessels, placenta etc.). The second one gives detailed information on the techniques used by Fragonard to create his " écorchés " : selection of the subjects, highlighting the various organs and tissues, mummification, drying and varnishing. This new information was obtained after a complete chemical analysis of the products that can still be collected from the " écorchés " in the Alfort Musée.