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The Success of On the Fabric of the Human Body | |
Geography played a part in Vesalius's success. Padua, where Vesalius was Professor of Anatomy, is near Venice in the north of Italy. Its importance as a trading centre had made Venice rich. The wealthy merchants of Venice spent their money on education and luxuries. They created a ready market for Vesalius's fascinating work. These wealthy citizens also attracted a host of talented artists to the city. Vesalius was easily able to recruit the best artist from the local studios to illustrate his book. But just as importantly the recent invention of the printing press meant that Vesalius's book could be produced in large numbers, while the improvement in printing techniques made it possible to include the brilliant illustrations. This ability to produce the book on a large scale coupled with Padua's position at the centre of Europe and its important links with other countries through Venice's trading connections meant that Vesalius's ideas were soon widely circulated. Though Vesalius was criticised by doctors for his anti Galenist ideas, the success of On the Fabric of the Human Body brought him fame and fortune. Soon after the book's publication he was appointed as doctor to the emperor Charles V in Spain. Use the information on this page to answer the following questions:
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The city of Padua, seen here in an image taken from the Nuremberg Chronicle, published in 1493, was home to one of the oldest universities in the world, being founded in 1222. Vesalius taught here between 1537 and 1544.
In the 16th century Padua, circled in red, was ruled by Venice. Venice's wealthy merchants provided Vesalius with a ready market for his book. This map was printed in 1623.
The development of printing technology helped make On the Fabric of the Human Body such a success. The technique of woodcut made possible the printing of pictures. To make a woodcut, an engraver starts by drawing an image, usually a tracing of a pencil drawing, onto the side grain of a wood plank. Areas not printed are cut away well below the surface with a knife or gouge, leaving the flat surface to be inked. Woodcuts can be put into type blocks along with moveable type, so that the image and type can be printed together in one run through the press. |
