Mary Maciel: Visionary in Medical Illustration

Founder of the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, School of Medical Illustration (1930-1972)

By Devhra BennettJones

Penetrating trauma surgery

Abdominal Blood Vessels

The Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions is pleased to announce online access to the archives of esteemed medical illustrator, professor and artist, Mary Maciel.  Mary Maciel: Visionary in Medical Illustration on JSTOR. Maciel’s career at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, began in 1930 in the Department of Surgery and continued through 1972 when she retired from the School of Medical Illustration. She trained with the world renowned “father” of medical illustration, Max Broedel at Johns Hopkins University. By 1947 the University of Cincinnati Board of Directors authorized a new course in medical illustration taught by 25-year-old Mary Maciel.

Mary Maciel Instructing Medical Illustration Students

Her artistic talent and academic administrative skills led the field world-wide. She set the standard that applicants to the UC School of Medical Illustration must possess at least four, and preferably five years of course work in general art and training in science. She only allowed the admission of a maximum of two students annually. In 1948 Maciel organized a school of medical illustration in Portugal. In 1951 she established a school of medical illustration at the University of Lyons, France. By the 1950s the University of Cincinnati School of Medical Illustration was one of four North American universities with programs in medical illustration along with Johns Hopkins University, the University of Georgia, and the University of Toronto.

Liver Surgery

Maciel’s expertise was recognized around the globe. She often spent the summer months abroad working in the field.  In 1957 she taught students of medical illustration in Finland and was awarded a four-month Fulbright professorship at the University of Strasbourg. In 1958 Mary Maciel presented lectures and medical illustration demonstrations at the University of Helsinki. She served as a consultant at medical centers in Denmark, Sweden and Norway.  In 1963 Maciel visited medical schools in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. She was a visiting professor at the University of Rio de Janeiro and the University of Buenos Aires. In 1968 Maciel was invited to work with the esteemed Dr. Christiaan Barnard, who performed the first human-to-human heart transplant. By the late 1960s Maciel is credited with having created more than 7,000 medical illustrations for textbooks, journals, movie animation and scientific articles.

Heart Transplant Diagram

Heart Transplant Technique

Under her leadership, the UC School of Medical Illustration made a profound impact on the field with numerous prominent graduates. Among them are George Kees in 1950 and George Schwenk in 1952. Kees became the Director of medical illustration for the Departments of Urology and Neurology at Christ Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio. Schwenk published in medical journals, books, and popular magazines such as Life, Discover, and Esquire. In July 1972 Mary Maciel retired and subsequently, the UC School of Medical Illustration closed. On March 27, 1990, Mary Maciel, UC College of Medicine professor emerita who organized and led the College of Medicine’s School of Medical Illustration from 1947 until 1972, died at age 83.

Brain Surgery

Parathyroid Adenoma Osseous

The Henry R. Winkler Center for the History of the Health Professions is grateful to James Van Mil, Sidney Gao and Sean Crowe for their expertise in the digitization of the Mary Maciel Archives.

UCBA Library’s June Spotlight: Art

by Christian Boyles

The UCBA Library is excited to showcase titles in our collection which we hope will be of interest.  We will feature different genres, authors, or themes, so watch for new titles at the start of each month. Spotlight titles can be found at the Library’s Information Desk. 

Book covers of the June titles.

June’s Spotlight is Art!  

Interested in more titles about Art? Ask Us! 

A Forgery amongst Renaissance and Baroque Paintings at DAAP!

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Exhibit of paintings

Exhibit of paintings-possibly Renaissance and Baroque from UC’s art collection

 Close up of two paintings in the exhibit.

DAAP Art History Prof. Chris Platts invites direct observation of these works of art from UC’s art collection to aid his classes (ARTH 5184 & ARTH 3021) in determining style, iconography, materials, function, patronage, and deeper symbolic meanings of the works. Prof. Platts is teaming up with UC geology and chemistry professors to give his students the chance to study an in-house mineral collection as a basis for analysis of paint pigments and how they were made in the Renaissance time period. As a class activity, the students will analyze these paintings from paint chips to date them and attempt to identify which one is a forgery.

CEAS library art collection

The College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) Library recently added labels to their collection of artwork. Visit the library at 850 Baldwin Hall and view part of the CEAS art collection. Many paintings adorning the library walls are from the early twentieth century and capture the prominent change of the beginning of that century in Cincinnati.  

The start of the CEAS art collection: 

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Find Summer Fun at the Library

Are you looking for something fun to do this summer? Take a look at Clermont College Library’s display case, on the second floor of the Snyder building. You’ll find books on everything from origami to making art on an iPad. There is even a book on exploring Cincinnati.

The library’s two display cases, (one near the library in Peters-Jones and one on the second floor of Snyder) showcase items you can check out, all year round.

Penny McGinnis
Technical Services Manager

Student Art in the Library

Summer semester the Clermont College Library is pleased to exhibit the art of Molly Newton, Lily Barnes, and Amanda Wittmer. Molly and Lily have created works in pencil and pen, while Amanda used oil pastel, acrylic, and collage.

A recent trip to Thailand influenced Amanda’s work. Her piece, Missing Home, received the Editor’s Choice Award in the East Fork Journal. In the fall, she will pursue a graduate degree in Art Therapy at Adler University in Chicago.

Come check out the student art in the library’s Student Art Spotlight throughout the summer, 2018.  As always, we thank Fine Arts faculty Kelly Frigard and Kim Taylor for their dedicated support of the Student Art Spotlight since 2015.

Penny McGinnis
Technical Services Manager

 

Student Art Spotlight at Clermont College Library

This semester the library is proud to exhibit the art of Terri Teague.  Ms. Teague, who serves as lab manager for the Fine Arts programs at UC Clermont, has been a friendly fixture around our campus for many years.  In fact, she’s helped to install many of the beautiful art exhibits around our campus, including those in the art gallery and the library.

Ms. Teague’s exhibit includes fourteen individual portraits in a variety of mediums—pencil, watercolor, acrylic, and pastel.  In her artist statement, she credits the gifted teachers at UC Clermont with teaching her to draw and paint, “open[ing] my eyes to a new way of looking at the world.”

Come check out Terri Teague’s work in the library’s Student Art Spotlight through December 2017.  And, as always, we thank Fine Arts faculty Kelly Frigard and Kim Taylor for their dedicated support of the Student Art Spotlight since 2015.

Katie Foran-Mulcahy
Library Director

Student Art at Clermont College

Spring semester the library is pleased to exhibit the art of Scott Hempleman.  Scott’s colorful paintings stem from years of drawing fun, imaginative cartoons. Encouraged by his grandfather as well as art teachers at Clermont College, Scott’s vibrant works display a study in color relationship and contrast.

Come check out Scott Hempleman’s work in the library’s Student Art Spotlight through spring 2018.  As always, we thank Fine Arts faculty Kelly Frigard and Kim Taylor for their dedicated support of the Student Art Spotlight since 2015.

Penny McGinnis
Technical Services Manager

Student Art Spotlight: Guy Zimmerman

 

zim 5

It may be the fall term, but the bright colors of spring and summer will stick around in the Clermont College Library thanks to student artist Guy Zimmerman.  Created from his own original photographs, these digitally-enhanced depictions of flowers and rugged terrain are dazzling and electric. Mr. Zimmerman is also interested in geology and worked as a Senior Data Systems Specialist at GE prior to his retirement.

zim 1

Don’t miss this fantastic edition of the Student Art Spotlight.  The exhibit will run through December.

 

Katie Foran-Mulcahy
Library Director

Arts and Crafts at Clermont

One way Clermont College Library supports our Art Department is by providing books on arts and crafts. We house books on drawing and painting as well as many hands-on crafts. The most recent course the art department added, Fundamentals of Metal Clay Jewelry, has resulted in some beautiful work by the students. I’ve had the opportunity to take Fundamental Concepts of Art and a course on felt making. In the fundamentals class, I created a book from handmade paper and learned printing techniques. The class is designed to give students a chance to work with two and three dimensional art.

art

If you’re a student preparing to take an art class or just want to try something new, we have books to inspire and instruct.

Check these out or browse the collection for new ideas:
Collage Paint Draw: Explore Mixed Media Techniques & Materials
TT 157 .P35 2015

Bohemian-Inspired Jewelry: 50 Designs Using Leather, Ribbon, and Cords
TT 212 .E98 2012

Metal Clay: The Complete Guide: Innovative Techniques to Inspire any Artist
TT 212 .P298 2007

Learn to Weave with Anne Field: A Project-Based Approach to Weaving Basics
TT 848 .F52 2014

Simply Felt: 20 Easy and Elegant Designs in Wool
TT 880 .D59 2004

The Repurposed Library: 33 Craft Projects that Give Old Books New Life
TT 896.3 .O255 2011

The Complete Potter’s Companion
TT 920 .B563 2003

How to Make Books
Z 271 .S63 2007

Penny McGinnis
Technical Services Manager