The art of microscopic anatomy

There is incredible beauty in the microscopic organisation and structure of cells and tissues in the body. Historically, scientists seamlessly incorporated art into the reports of their findings through detailed sketches and drawings, but this mutualistic relationship is now considered unusual as science and art occupy distinct and different realms. Histology, the study of microscopic tissues, lends itself to the synthesis of art and science through colourful stains, textures, and shapes. In this paper, we revisit these past practices as we explore the benefits of blending art and science as a means of communicating microscopic anatomy, and provide examples of histological art in a variety of mediums including watercolour and graphite sketches in order to illustrate this synergistic relationship.