The study examines the prosthesis as a highly diverse phenomenon that touches on various fields of knowledge, ultimately allowing it to be seen as a symbol of a damaged modernity. Starting from the American Civil War, whose high casualty rates historically gave a significant boost to the development and production of prosthetics, the author subjects prosthetics not only to a socio-technical historical reading but also to an analysis of the associated image politics, which fluctuated between concealing the injury and showcasing its mechanical qualities. The prosthetics of the late 19th century transformed into a phantasmagoric technology. Prosthetics became commodities that oscillated between fashion and technology, gathering a wide spectrum of significance. As a social technology, they were intended to support the emerging consumer capitalism.