Leonardo da Vinci and Andreas Vesalius; the shoulder girdle and the spine, a comparison

Abstract

Leonardo Da Vinci and Andreas Vesalius were two important renaissance persons; Vesalius was a surgeon-anatomist who delivered innovative work on the study of the human body, Leonardo da Vinci was an artist who delivered strikingly accurate and beautiful drawings on the human body. Below we compare both masters with regard to their knowledge of the working of the muscles, their method and system of dissection and their system and presentation of the drawings.

The investigation consisted of a comparison between both anatomists, in particular concerning their study on the shoulder girdle and spine, by reviewing their original work as well as already existing literature on this subject. The investigation led to the conclusion that the drawings mentioned meant a change in history, and were of high quality, centuries ahead of their time. Both were anatomists, both were revolutionary, only one changed history at the moment itself, while the other changed history centuries later. Leonardo has made beautiful drawings that are at a match with the drawings of today or are even better. Vesalius set the start for medicine as a science as it is until this day. Their lives differed as strongly as their impact. In the light of their time, the achievement they made was extraordinary.

Key Words:

• Leonardo da Vinci
• Andreas Vesalius
• spine
• anatomic drawings
• human anatomy
• history of medicine
• shoulder-girdle
• surgical history

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Y. Ganseman

Y. Ganseman Prinses-Lydialaan 32 3001 Heverlee Tel.: [phone]. E-mail: [email protected]