The Age of Enlightenment
Discovering the world: rationalistic thinking and practice
The discovery and classification of the world happened now in a strict scientific way.
The discovery and classification of the world did not any longer happen for allegorical reasons, for praising the might, wealth or merits of institutions and rulers, but now in pursuit of strict scientific discovery. The necessary opening up of science to a wider public for critical discussion was guaranteed by the founding of academic institutions, including upgraded libraries, and in addition, the foundation of archives and the emergence of editing and journalism. The anti-clerical international freemasonry movement gathered together in secret societies the well-committed elites who drove enlightened thinking and practice.
The Anatomical Waxes of the Istituto delle Scienze

1742–1751
Musei di Palazzo Poggi, Anatomical waxes Museum, Institute of normal anatomy, University of Bologna
Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Ercole Lelli
Adam, Eve, skinned man, statue with muscles, female skeleton: human bones, wax; male skeleton: human bones, wax, metal; 52 anatomical waxes: wax
In the 18th century in Bologna the Institute of Sciences was founded, which was very important for developing the new concept of scientific studies based on practice and experiments. The original, preserved wax cabinet with its precise models allowed study of human anatomy.