[The painting 'The anatomical lesson by Professor Louis Bolk' by Martin Monnickendam]

In 1992 the painting 'The anatomy of professor Louis Bolk' by the Dutch painter Martin Monnickendam (1874-1943), was finally returned to its place in the 'Tulp-room' of the Department of Anatomy and Embryology at the University of Amsterdam, after the department had been moved to new premises in 1985. The professor of anatomy at the University of Amsterdam, Louis Bolk, is seated in the middle surrounded by his, at that time, former pupils, from left to right: Boeke, Barge and van den Broek, authors of a Dutch textbook of anatomy. The four professors are gathered around a cadaver of an orang-utan, placed not on a dissection table but on a console. Bolk is facing the observer and holding a scalpel in one hand while steadying the animal's head with the other; he is ready to make an incision. In the back of the painting a bust of the 18th century anatomist Petrus Camper is visible. The four professors all wear a white coat over their suits. Bolk finishes this off with an artistic bow tie whilst the others use an ordinary necktie. The painting is signed in the left upper corner 'Martin Monnickendam 1925'.