Andreas Vesalius' De Humani Corporis Fabrica (On The Fabric of the Human Body) or The Fabrica

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The Fabrica is perhaps the most influential medical book of all time. The author, Andreas Vesalius, was only 28 years old when it was first published in 1543.

The special collections section at the University of Victoria in British Columbia contains a precious 1555 second edition, and we had the privilege to discuss this historic book with Helene Cazes, director of Medieval Studies and a Professor of French at the university.

In the 16th century, The Fabrica was ground breaking because it advanced anatomy, and today it remains fascinating because of Vesalius himself.

And while Vesalius got plenty right, he also got some facts wrong. We have made many advances in anatomy and medicine since the 1500s.

Vesalius insisted on performing his own dissections in a time when that task was left to people of lesser status while the physician looked on. He went to great lengths, including body snatching, to fine tune his knowledge and skills. He insisted that the information presented in his book resulted from actual experience rather than previous texts.

Even before the book was published people were interested in his work.


The illustrations were presented with such style that even today anatomists use his illustrations or the same poses – dubbed ‘vesalian positions’.


In today’s world of advanced science and modern medicine why is this book still held in high regard?


Often described as the founder of modern human anatomy, Vesalius died in 1564 at age 49 but the influence of his famous book lives on.


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