The Modular Anatomical Torso: SOMSO Model BS 23

35"H x 15 1/4"W x 10 1/4"D

Equal parts rigorous pedagogical instrument and surrealist study of identity, this mid-century SOMSO anatomical torso ,Model BS 23 Series,  transcends its utilitarian origin to operate as a compelling piece of sculptural irony. Distributed by Adam,Rouilly in London and crafted by Marcus Sommer SOMSO Modelle GmbH—a German maker renowned for precision scientific models since 1876—the life-size piece is cast in the manufacturer’s signature SOMSO-Plast resin and features modular organs hand-painted by specialized artisans. Bearing a distinct vintage character, the surface reveals clean stress fracturing along the upper arm—a common, authentic mark of age in early resin castings—alongside minor surface wear that underscores its history of active use in medical school lecture halls. Despite these signs of provenance, the sculpture retains its vibrant original paintwork and precise modular fit. In a contemporary gallery context, the object presents a striking visual dichotomy: one side rests in smooth, idealized skin, while the other lays bare the internal machinery of the human body. Half-masked and half-skulled, its facial expression strikes an accidentally deadpan posture that playfully pokes fun at the attempt to simplify human life into numbered, removable parts. What ultimately elevates the work into a witty conceptual commentary is its modular fluidity, featuring fully interchangeable male and female anatomical components that allow gender markers to be dismantled, swapped, and reassembled at will, transforming a clinical teaching tool into a provocative design study on the constructed nature of the human form.

Germany

1950s - 1980s