Adrian Flatt hand collection
The Adrian Flatt hand collection is a collection of plaster and bronze casts of human hands on display at the Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. The casts were created by orthopedic surgeon Dr. Adrian Flatt (1921—2017), and the collection features the hands of various former United States presidents, actors, athletes, scientists, musicians, artists, astronauts, and other celebrities.
History
[edit]
Dr. Adrian Flatt began his collection in the late 1950s[1] when he cast the hands of infants with congenital hand deformities in order to study them and plan his surgical procedures. He eventually cast the hands of 24 surgeons working at the medical center.[2] He began casting hands of well-known individuals in 1962.[3] His first celebrity hand casts were those of United States presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower and Harry S. Truman, and the collection grew to include the cast hands of over 120 individuals.[2]
Dr. Flatt created the molds using the same type of resin used in the creation of dental composites. The hands were placed in a shoe box which he would fill with resin, although in the case of André the Giant he used much larger hat boxes. The collection has been on display at the Baylor University Medical Center since 1982, when Dr. Flatt began working there.[4] The collection also includes historical hand casts of Abraham Lincoln, which were created in 1860.[1]
Reception
[edit]According to Dr. Jay Mabrey, the collection is the most popular site on the Baylor University campus.[4] SFGate described the collection as "humaniz[ing] the people attached to the hands", stating that the exhibit invites viewers to contemplate what the hands have accomplished.[1] The collection was described by the Dallas Observer as "the best place to look at a bunch of hands",[5] and the Houston Chronicle called the collection "a must-see".[6] The casts have been praised by Atlas Obscura as "life-like and precise", which noted that the attention to detail showcases Dr. Flatt's "fascination with the unique size, shape, and signature of each mitt".[7] The collection also featured in an episode of The Texas Bucket List, where it was described as "hands down, quite a handful".[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b c Hlavaty, Craig (2016-08-01). "Look through collection of historic hands on display at Texas hospital". SFGate. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ a b Green, David P. (2018-01-01). "Adrian E. Flatt, MD August 26, 1921–October 14, 2017". Journal of Hand Surgery. 43 (1): 75–78. doi:10.1016/j.jhsa.2017.10.032. ISSN 0363-5023. PMID 29301715.
- ^ a b The Texas Bucket List - The Adrian E. Flatt, M.D. Hand Collection. The Texas Bucket List. 2015-12-15. Retrieved 2024-11-29 – via YouTube.
- ^ a b "Welcome To Texas: Hand Collection At Baylor Medical Center - CBS Texas". CBS News. 2016-07-28. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ "Best Place to Look at a Bunch Of Hands - The Baylor Hand Collection". Dallas Observer. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ Hlavaty, Craig (2016-08-01). "This collection of historic hands at a Dallas hospital is a must-see". Chron. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
- ^ "Adrian E. Flatt, M.D., Hand Collection". Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 2024-11-29.