Curious and grotesque: Exquisite Bodies exhibition at the Wellcome Collection

A model showing the structure and tissue of a human head Photograph: Patrick Gemmell

Extraction of the placenta (plaster relief from a series illustrating the stages of childbirth), c.1900 Photograph: Wellcome Library, London/PR

Section of the thorax at the level of the heart, made sometime in the 19th century by Joseph Towne, the official modelmaker at Guy’s Hospital in London Photograph: Graham Turner

The theme of human sexual reproduction – especially women's – was central to many of these anatomical displays. Museum proprietors encouraged women to become better acquainted with their own 'internal machinery' Photograph: Patrick Gemmell

A close-up of an 'anatomical venus' (late 19th century), typically a female figure used for dissection Photograph: Patrick Gemmell

Male genitalia showing the effects of an unspecified venereal disease Photograph: Graham Turner

The model of a face ravaged by tertiary-stage syphilis Photograph: Graham Turner

A portrayal of two pregnant women Photograph: Graham Turner

An obstetric teaching model from 18th-century Italy Photograph: Graham Turner

Dissection of the heads of babies Photograph: Wellcome Library, London/PR

A wrist with a 'cutaneous horn' growing from it Photograph: Graham Turner

Female genitalia showing symptoms of veneral disease Photograph: Graham Turner

Infected sores around the penis and scrotum Photograph: Graham Turner

A man's face showing the effects of syphillis Photograph: Graham Turner

Anatomical displays of this kind had their share of fairground horror, pictured here is grown man with a conjoined twin Photograph: Graham Turner

Female conjoined twins Photograph: Graham Turner

A two-headed calf Photograph: Graham Turner

A model showing the effect of leprosy on the face Photograph: Graham Turner

A foetus in the womb Photograph: Graham Turner

An educational close-up of a sword-swallower and his entrails Photograph: Patrick Gemmell

A depiction of a hypertrophied brain Photograph: Wellcome Library, London/PR

Poster from the collection of Señor Roca, a successful fairground entrepreneur Photograph: Wellcome Library, London/PR

Smallpox pustules on the arm and forearm (late 19th century) Photograph: Wellcome Library, London/PR

'Cyclops' Photograph: Graham Turner

Exquisite Bodies or the Curious and Grotesque Story of the Anatomical Model, an exhibition at the Wellcome Collection. Photograph: Patrick Gemmell

The anatomical venus on its display mount Photograph: Patrick Gemmell

Female dissection models were often made beautiful and alluring, in contrast to grislier models portraying the ravages of drug and alcohol addiction Photograph: Patrick Gemmell

Models showing the stages of foetal development Photograph: Patrick Gemmell