Vesalius's masterpiece is on display at KU Leuven

KU Leuven and the Flemish Society have purchased the masterpiece “De humani corporis Fabrica” by Andreas Vesalius, considered the founder of anatomy. The university announced that the work will be exhibited at KU Leuven.

The first edition of “De humani corporis Fabrica”, published in 1543, is already in the possession of KU Leuven. Twelve years later, in 1555, Vesalius published a second edition. This is the edition acquired by KU Leuven and the Flemish Society, including in the context of the Masterpieces Policy. They purchased the work together last Friday at Christie's auction house for US$1.8 million.

The work, known simply as Fabrica, is considered one of the most influential medical books worldwide. Vesalius described human anatomy in Fabrica based on the dissections he performed. In the second edition he also added personal notes. The book is richly illustrated by artists who depicted in detail the knowledge of human anatomy of the time.

The purchase is particularly timely for KU Leuven, in light of the celebrations surrounding its 600th anniversary in 2025. The university is currently building an expertise center around Vesalius at the Hertogen site in Leuven, which will focus on healthcare, science and society. “The fact that we will now also be able to show ‘De humani corporis Fabrica’ to the general public fits perfectly with this,” says Luc Sels, Dean of the University of Leuven. “It is one of the most influential books in history.”

“Flanders shines in the world when it comes to healthcare and medical science. We owe this leading position to the efforts and achievements of great scientists like Vesalius,” says Flemish Culture Minister Jan Jambon (N-VA). “The cloth we buy today reminds us of this glorious past. It is an inspiration to many young students who follow in Vesalius’ footsteps today.”