Together they offer remarkable insights into Vesalius’ intellectual biography and the development of his most famous work: De humani corporis fabrica, 1543. An extensive introduction by Vivian Nutton also provides new information on Johann Guinter, and his substantial use of Vesalius’ work for his own revised version of the text in 1539. Their joint production, a student textbook, is set against a background of the development of Renaissance anatomy, and of attitudes to their ancient Greek predecessor, Galen of Pergamum.
This text will be of great interest to historians of science and medicine, as well as to Renaissance scholars.
Vivian Nutton is Professor of the History of Medicine, A.M. Sechenov First Moscow Medical University, and Emeritus Professor of the History of Medicine, University College London. Among his recent books are a translation of Galen, On Distress (2013) and Ancient Medicine, 2ed (2013).