Vesalius - De humani corporis fabrica cover (in depth)

The cover of De humani corporis fabrica (1543) is most likely the work of Jan van Calcar (c. 1499-1546), a student of Titian and a Flemish like Vesalius himself. The image offers many intriguing clues that will be analysed below, from the top to the bottom of the engraving (scroll down to see them).  

1. The top register 

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2. The theatre rows

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3. The audience

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4. The skeleton, the dissected woman and Vesalius

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5. The philosophers

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Finally, have a look at the 1555 edition of De humani corporis fabrica, which reproduces the 1543 engraving with some interesting changes, as highlighted below:

Vesalius Cover Compared to 1555.PNG

Credits: Jo Hedesan (May 2022)