I Sing The Body Electric

June 13, 2007 2:49 PM

Fritz Kahn was a German writer & illustrator in the 1920s who specialized in illustrating the physical processes of human bodies as though they were machine powered. Perhaps it's easier to show than describe.
posted by jonson (18 comments total)

These are just really cool. Thank you for posting this. I was looking around for some background or bio on him, couldn't find anything. What were these done for? I didn't see any explanation in the links.

While I was looking around I found this cool gallery: Dream Anatomy.

And you have to love the strategically placed crane in this one.
posted by marxchivist at 3:05 PM on June 13, 2007

Fantastic. Best of the web, without question.
posted by effugas at 3:16 PM on June 13, 2007

There can be no understanding between the hands and the brain unless the heart acts as mediator.
posted by Smart Dalek at 3:16 PM on June 13, 2007

This post is useless without posters available for purchase.

Thanks for the cool link.
posted by vito90 at 3:16 PM on June 13, 2007

This is very cool.
posted by nola at 3:28 PM on June 13, 2007

Neato!
posted by CitrusFreak12 at 3:34 PM on June 13, 2007

Looks like my band fliers for the next few months are taken care of!
posted by sourwookie at 3:42 PM on June 13, 2007

Terrific! And forget band fliers, that's a whole series of CDs. "The Bone Breakers" "The Walls Of Bones" "The Factory Of The Lungs" "Architecture Of Digestion" -- fabulous as names and as cover art.

of course, as normal art, fabulous too. great post.
posted by davejay at 4:10 PM on June 13, 2007

Just last night I discovered Tim Hunkin's Giant Mechanical Man, which was conceived along the same lines, and was wondering about the tradition he was referring to. Great find!
posted by phooky at 4:13 PM on June 13, 2007

Great post. I've seen one or two of his works but never with attribution so I didn't know who the artist was or anything about the full body of his works (heh.) Very cool thanks, jonson.
posted by madamjujujive at 4:42 PM on June 13, 2007

Thank you, this is excellent.
posted by ltracey at 6:45 PM on June 13, 2007

I want higher resolution!
posted by stammer at 6:46 PM on June 13, 2007

Very cool, jonson, thanks.
posted by bru at 7:06 PM on June 13, 2007

I was looking around for some background or bio on him, couldn't find anything. What were these done for?
posted by Marxchivist
Here's a little bit of biographical information and BibliOdyssey has a book list that you might find useful.
posted by tellurian at 10:03 PM on June 13, 2007

Where do you find these beautiful things? Wherever it is I'd like to say thanks for bringing them here.
posted by longbaugh at 11:59 PM on June 13, 2007

Very cool. I want posters.
posted by chillmost at 12:21 AM on June 14, 2007

Love the post, and all the responses. I am bookmarking all of this.
posted by louche mustachio at 2:37 AM on June 14, 2007

I can't wait to use my work's printers for this.
excellent stuff, I thank you.
posted by Busithoth at 10:55 AM on June 14, 2007