Fig. 5 will give an idea on a small scale of one of the plates illustrating the work of Vesalius. The plates in the original are of folio size, and represent a colossal figure in the foreground, with a background showing between the limbs and at the sides of the figure. There is considerable variety as regards the background, no two plates being alike.
Also, in delineating the skeleton, the artist has given to it an artistic pose, as is shown in Fig. 6, but nevertheless the bones are well drawn. No plates of equal merit had appeared before these; in fact, they are the earliest generally known drawings in anatomy, although woodcuts representing anatomical figures were published as early as 1491 by John Ketham. Ketham's figures showed only externals and preparations for opening the body, but rude woodcuts representing internal anatomy and the human skeleton had been published notably by Magnus Hundt, 1501; Phrysen, 1518; and Berengarius, 1521 and 1523. Leonardo da Vinci and other artists had also executed anatomical drawings before the time of Vesalius.
Previous to the publication of the complete work, Vesalius, in 1538, had published six tables of anatomy, and, in 1555, he brought out a new edition of the Fabrica, with slight additions, especially in reference to physiology, which will be adverted to in the chapter on Harvey.
Fig. 6.—The Skeleton, from Vesalius's Fabrica.
In the original edition of 1543 the illustrations are not collected in the form of plates, but are distributed through the text, the larger ones making full-page (folio) illustrations. In this edition also the chapters are introduced with an initial letter showing curious anatomical figures in miniature, some of which are shown in Fig. 7.
