Front cover of 'De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem'
Jan van Calcar1543
University of Sydney Library
Camperdown, Australia
Photograph of the University of Sydney copy of De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem by Andreas Vesalius. The book has its original German binding - pigskin with blind tooling detail. The Fabrica is considered one of the most important medical books ever published, and changed the way that anatomy was understood and taught.
The rubbed binding of this copy shows that the book has been used; worn down by human hands over hundreds of years. The previous owner, German physician Caspar Neefe has annotated this copy extensively and has hand painted many of the illustrations.
Original clasps (furniture), which have held this book closed for over 480 years are intact.
The book is stored in a custom purple velvet lined case in reference to the presentation copy gifted to King Charles V.
- Title: Front cover of 'De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem'
- Creator: Andreas Vesalius, Jan Stephan van Calcar, Joannes Oporinus
- Date Created: 1543
- Location Created: Basel, Switzerland
- Original Language: Latin
- Provenance: Fisher Library Rare Books and Special Collections copy acquired in celebration of the 60th Anniversary of the opening of Fisher Library, through the generous support of the Margaret Lundie Fund and the B & A Osborn Book Fund in 2023ac, First owner was German physician Caspar Neefe (1514-79), who later served as personal physician to Duke Albert I of Saxony, and with his handwritten annotations throughout. Previously in a Tyrolean private medical collection
- External Link: View the full digitised item
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