Sexual visions: images of gender in science and medicine between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries

Abstract

Sexual Visions makes a powerful statement about the cultural intertwining of science and sexuality, making a significant contribution to the fields of women's studies, biology, art history and cultural studies. Through an extensive analysis of professional and popular medical and biological writings, sculpture, anatomical wax models, paintings, films, poetry and fiction, the author shows how the fluid and ever-changing roles of such opposites as male/female and reason/emotion are central to the culture of science and are also powerful images in their own rights.