In 1894 the German artist Max Brödel came to America and started work with the famous gynecologist Howard A. Kelly. By developing a profound medical knowledge especially in the field of gynecology, and creating new artistic techniques for medical illustration, Brödel revolutionized the appearance of medical literature and founded the profession of medical artist and illustrator. In 1911, Brödel became head of the first 'Department of Art as Applied to Medicine' in the world. The ingenious cooperation of the artist Brödel and the gynecologist Kelly and their influence on modem medical illustration is reflected in this historical article.