"Calf Head and Throat Tongue Larynx ", 1882 Gustave Caillebotte (1848-1894) Art Institute, Chicago, Illinois, USA

As an impressionist, Caillebotte had a rather realistic style - his "Paris Street, Rainy Day" of 1877 has captured universal attention.

 

The pharynx is like a faucet (narrowing) - Fauces in Spanish and for ordinary Anglo speakers is the Gullet. It connects with the epi-glotis (a valve that closes access to the larynx). The larynx connects the oral cavity with the respiratory tube (Trachea).

Clinicians should remember that the function of tongue is for effective chewing, deglutition and speech. During deglutition, the tongue moves backwards and pushes the epi-glotis shut, thus covering the trachea or wind-pipe which avoids food and liquids from entering the lungs and directing these toward the esophagus (esso and phagus are Germanic and Latin roots for food and swallow).