Andreas Vesalius founded modern anatomy. His remarkable 1543 book De humini corporus fabrica was a fully illustrated anatomy of the human body. Based on observations he made during dissections, the book overthrew misconceptions in anatomy that had persisted for over a thousand years.
Vesalius was an anatomy professor at the University of Padua and a physician to Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. At the age of 15 Vesalius enrolled at Louvain University.
In 1540, at the age of 25, Vesalius began working on a fully illustrated anatomical textbook: De humini corporus fabrica – The Structure of the Human Body. It would be his greatest work, Accompanying the illustrations were descriptions of the muscles’ operations. Not surprisingly, given the richness of its illustrations and its shear bulk, The Fabrica was an expensive purchase, intended for physicians, libraries, and aristocrats. Recognizing that others might also be interested in his work, Vesalius simultaneously released a practical, more affordable text with fewer illustrations entitled The Epitome. Most of The Fabrica’s readers were positive about it. It became the go-to book for serious anatomists and physicians. However, some physicians and academics felt threatened by its revelations: they had built their careers on Galen’s work and lashed out at Vesalius.
Having brought himself to the notice of the emperor, Vesalius was appointed physician to the imperial household. He resigned his professorship in Padua, becoming the fifth generation of the Wesele/Vesalius family to be in imperial service.
