Between Knowledge and Workshop Practices, Turin, 11-12 June 2026
International Congress of Young Researchers on the Renaissance
Gehalten von: Nicole Falconi
Datum: 11.06.2026, 12:40 h
Building for Science: The Fabrication of the Anatomical Theatre in Barcelona
In the year 1760 the renowned Spanish anatomist Pedro Virgili was commissioned by King Charles III to plan an anatomical theatre for the newly established Real Colegio de Cirugía de Barcelona. The materialization of Virgili’s vision for this space – in which handcraft, technology, science and arts converged, where theoretical and rational examinations hybridized with sensual experiences and embodied practices – was only feasible due to the synergy between experts of various fields.
As part of the doctoral project centred on the thus far unexamined local clusters of knowledge in construction sites of Ibero-American anatomical theatres, this paper aims to present new insights on the collaborative design process and building operation of the Barcelonian case, constructed within the medieval Hospital de la Santa Cruz complex between 1760 and 1764. Diverse primary sources were compiled during and analysed after extensive archival research trips to Spain in 2025: floor and elevation plans outlined and coordinated between anatomists, master-builders as well as architects; moreover, the correspondence between these experts; and lastly through the preserved account book documented exhaustively by the building company. This contribution seeks to bridge the gap and expand the focus by additionally conceptualizing this spatial agglomeration as a trading zone (Long) and examining the interaction and formalization (Popplow) of condensed codified as well as embodied knowledge (Smith) and expertise (Ash).
