Background

Who is Andreas Vesalius? Andreas Vesalius was a 16th-century anatomist, physician, and author who is commonly referred to as the founder of modern human anatomy, mainly due to his work De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem.

About the Book: De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem translates to "On the Fabric of the Human Body in Seven Books". This book provides a fuller and more detailed description of human anatomy than ever seen before at this before.

The Book

This is the second printing of the book. The first was done in 1543. Each book is covered in a different material including silk and human skin. This volume is covered in pigskin.

The book corrected errors from previous anatomical teachings which had been obtained from primate dissection rather than human dissection. This book showed the importance of dissecting actual humans.

The title page and the series of more than 200 anatomical woodcuts spread throughout the book remain the most famous series of anatomical illustrations ever published. Vesalius never named the artist, but Jan Stephen van Calcar is commonly credited with the illustrations.

How to Learn More

Schedule a Tour: Contact the MHC to schedule a tour. Email us at mhcmail@osumc.edu, or call us at (614) 292-3275. We are located in Columbus, Ohio.

More to Come: Watch for more Curator's Top 25 artifact highlights throughout the rest of 2022!

Medical Heritage Center Contact Information

The Ohio State University Health Sciences Library
5th Floor, Prior Hall
376 West 10th Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43210
(614) 292-3275
go.osu.edu/mhc