Side view of the human skeleton in Andreas Vesalius, Opera omnia anatomica & chirurgica (Leiden, 1725)
Through dissection, Vesalius unified the acquisition of anatomical knowledge with other forms of knowledge about the physical world, which significantly improved anatomical accuracy. In this illustration, a human skeleton’s hand rests on a skull placed on a podium engraved with the Latin inscription Vivitur ingenio, caetera mortis erunt (“Intelligence lives on, the rest is mortal.”) This portrayal reinforces the value of firsthand observation, reference to the physical world, and experience for the study of anatomy, instead of relying exclusively on descriptions by other anatomists. This innovation enabled Vesalius to correct prior Galenic conclusions about the human body through meticulous dissections, leading to a more accurate understanding of anatomy. (MC)
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