Bourgery. Atlas of Human Anatomy and Surgery - (Bibliotheca Universalis) by Henri Sick & Jean-Marie Le Minor (Hardcover)

About the Book

Discover one of the most comprehensive and beautifully illustrated anatomical treatises ever published. The product of more than two decades of dedication, and spanning descriptive, surgical, microscopic, and general anatomy, as well as embryology, The Atlas of Anatomy marks to this day a major achievement in medical history, and a breathtaking insight into the workings and wonder of the human body.

Book Synopsis

We owe a great debt to Jean Baptiste Marc Bourgery (1797-1849) for his Atlas of Anatomy, which was not only a massive event in medical history, but also remains one of the most comprehensive and beautifully illustrated anatomical treatises ever published.

Bourgery began work on his magnificent atlas in 1830 in cooperation with illustrator Nicolas Henri Jacob (1782-1871), a student of the French painter Jacques Louis David. The first volumes were published the following year, but completion of the treatise required nearly two decades of dedication; Bourgery lived just long enough to finish his labor of love, but the last of the treatise's eight volumes was not published in its entirety until five years after his death.

The eight volumes of Bourgery's treatise cover descriptive anatomy, surgical anatomy and techniques (exploring in detail nearly all the major operations that were performed during the first half of the 19th century), general anatomy and embryology, and microscopic anatomy. Jacob's spectacular hand-colored lithographs are remarkable for their clarity, color, and aesthetic appeal, reflecting a combination of direct laboratory observation and illustrative research. Unsurpassed to this day, the images offer exceptional anatomical insight, not only for those in the medical field but also for artists, students, and anyone interested in the workings and wonder of the human body.

Review Quotes

"A gorgeous compendium of anatomical drawings from the mid-19th century... one senses the awe the body once commanded when it was a new, uncharted world begging for exploration."-- "i-D Magazine"