La Specola.

With my theme of a collection of 'parts', I wanted to explore what I could use, or begin to work with as my subject (whether or not I will actually put a book together to do with one subject or many I am still unsure). 

Whilst thinking about what I could do some initial drawings of and how to begin, I started thinking about the human body and it's many parts, then to come across some photo from the Museum of Zoology and Natural History, best known and La Specola. It's a museum in Florence, central Italy. The name Specola means, observatory, a reference to the astronomical observatory founded there in 1790. 

Several generations of the Medicis had collected with passion great artistic treasures, but also a wide range of natural treasures like fossils, animals, minerals and exotic plants.

However it is known for it's collection of was astronomical models from the 18th century. It is the oldest scientific Museum of Europe. 

Below are some photos I found on a Flicker link of what the museum holds, they are a very good example to an object made up of a collection of many 'parts'...

The wax collection, unique in the quantity and beauty of its pieces, was created in order to teach anatomy without having to directly observe a cadaver.

They also hold wax models of animals...