The wax liver model at Josephinum

The Josephinum Medical History Museum in Vienna houses an extensive collection of anatomical wax models, including a detailed model of the human liver (Figure 1). This unique collection was originally acquired for the Military Medical-Surgical Academy, established in Vienna in 1785 by Emperor Joseph II, who was also, at that time, the Archduke of Austria (1).

Figure 1 Anatomical wax model of the liver on display at the Josephinum Medical History Museum in Vienna (1). Created in 1784 for educational purposes at the Military Surgical Academy in Vienna, the model features detailed representations of the extrahepatic bile ducts (brown), hepatic arteries (red), and the portal and hepatic venous systems (black). The round ligament and Arantius’ ligament are depicted in yellow.

Inspired by the renowned Medici collection of anatomical wax models in Florence, Italy, Joseph II commissioned a large series of wax models from the Florentine workshop of the famed anatomist Felice Fontana (1730–1805) and wax modeller Clemente Susini (1754–1814) (2). It was Giovanni Brambilla (1728–1800), Joseph II’s personal surgeon and advisor, who recognized the educational value of assembling a comprehensive wax anatomical collection for students at the Military Academy. The collection was intended to provide detailed, durable models for teaching anatomy to military surgeons, eliminating the need for cadaveric specimens.

The creation of these wax models was a complex process involving close collaboration between anatomists and artists. Initially, a clay model of the organ was sculpted, serving as a basis for creating a hollow plaster mold, which was then used as a negative to cast the wax model. The finished models were subsequently polished and meticulously detailed with colorful dyes or paints made from oil or resin (3).

After 6 years of continuous work, a total of 1,192 anatomical wax models were completed in 1784 and transported from Florence to Vienna. The wax model of the liver in this collection depicts the visceral surface, featuring detailed representations of the gallbladder and hepato-choledochal duct, painted green. The hepatic artery and its branches at the hepatic hilum are colored red, while the portal venous system is shown in black. The round ligament, painted yellow, extends from the umbilical portion of the left portal vein. Notably, Arantius’ ligament—the fibrous remnant of the ductus venosus, visible between the caudate and left liver lobes—is also depicted in yellow and appears to connect with a branch of the inferior vena cava, suggesting the left hepatic vein.

Interestingly, the distal end of the inferior vena cava (also rendered in black, matching the portal venous system) is shown posterior to the main portal trunk and courses over the visceral surface of the right lobe. This depiction suggests a misunderstanding of the vena cava’s retrohepatic position below the hepatic venous confluence.

Despite this anatomical discrepancy regarding the retrohepatic vena cava, the lifelike wax model of the liver at the Josephinum demonstrates exceptional craftsmanship, capturing the external anatomy of the organ with remarkable precision.

Acknowledgments

The picture of the wax liver model was modified from the image provided by the Josephinum Medical History Museum in Vienna.

Footnote

Provenance and Peer Review: This article was commissioned by the editorial office, HepatoBiliary Surgery and Nutrition. The article did not undergo external peer review.

Funding: None.

Conflicts of Interest: The author has completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form (available at https://hbsn.amegroups.com/article/view/10.21037/hbsn-2025-266/coif). T.M.v.G. serves as an unpaid Deputy Editor-in-Chief of HepatoBiliary Surgery and Nutrition. The author has no other conflicts of interest to declare.

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References

1. Wax anatomical models' collection in the Josephinum. Available online: https://medicine.museum/collection/31-Wax-anatomical-models-collection-Josephinum
2. Riva A, Conti G, Solinas P, et al. The evolution of anatomical illustration and wax modelling in Italy from the 16th to early 19th centuries. J Anat 2010;216:209-22. [Crossref] [PubMed]
3. Maraldi NM, Mazzotti G, Cocco L, et al. Anatomical waxwork modeling: the history of the Bologna anatomy museum. Anat Rec 2000;261:5-10. [Crossref] [PubMed]