Anatomy. Certain it is that they have been the exemplars of the finest anatomical tables since published, and have never been exceeded in picturesque strength, freedom, or accuracy. Cuvier says, “On a dit que les planches de Vesale avoient été dessinées par le Titien. Si cette assertion est inexacte, ces planches sont du moins Pouvrage de Vun des éléves le plus distingué de Titien.” (Cours de ? Histoire des Sciences Naturelles, p- 2.—page 21, 8vo.) Blumenbach, in his Introductio in Hist. Medicine Literar. speaks of the reference of Vesalius’s figures to Titian as ‘a very probable conjecture.’ But Vasari ascribes these drawings in express terms to Johannes a Calcar, who was a scholar of Titian, and whose name is affixed to the portrait of Vesalius in the collection of the London College of Physicians.
Both Leonardo da Vinci and Titian were contemporaries of Vesalius; with the latter he was intimate. Sir Anthony Carlisle informs me, that by the late Mr. Barry the academician, and his friend Monsieur Baretti, the Italian author, the heads in Vesalius’s Anatomy were regarded as. taken from drawings by Titian. It is a curious fact that the only acknowledgement which Vesalius expresses is general complaint and abuse of his artists; nay, he even says, writhing under the annoyance which they caused him, that he thought himself more unfortunate than the subjects he had procured for dissection.
Note H.—"M. Miel tomba autre jour dans la chambre du Roi; il se fit une contusion. Felix le saigna, et lu coupa Vartére: il fallut lui faire a Vinstant la grande opération. Monsieur de Grignon, qu’en dites vous? je ne sais lequel je plains le plus, ou de celui qui [a soufferte, ou d’un premier chirurgien du Roi qui pique un artére.” (Madame de Sevigné a sa Fille, 1689.)
THE END.
