The author traces the life and work of Andreas Vesalius, recounting his education, academic posts, and methods of teaching; the preparation, illustration, and publication of his landmark anatomical treatise and its condensed epitome; and the controversies and rivalries that followed as he challenged Galenic authorities. The book situates his achievements within the longer history of anatomy, summarizes earlier practitioners and successors, and examines his influence on surgery, physiology, and artistic anatomy, while also describing later episodes of his life, including a pilgrimage and his untimely death.
