Author: Giorgio Zanchin¹

Affiliation: 

¹ Padua University Medical School

Abstract: This article examines Girolamo Fabrici d’Acquapendente (1533–1619) and his pioneering tabulae pictae (“painted anatomical tables”). As professor of anatomy at Padua and mentor to William Harvey (1578-1657), Fabrici advanced embryology and venous anatomy, laying foundations for Harvey’s discovery of blood circulation. His collection of over 200 hand-painted plates, preserved in the Marciana Library, introduced color as a vital tool for anatomical teaching, surpassing the monochrome engravings of Vesalius in lifelike realism. The tables reveal striking attention to tissue qualities and three-dimensionality, particularly in the neuroanatomical series De Anatomia Capitis Cerebri Nervorum. Though no explanatory text survives, indirect testimonies highlight Fabrici’s reverence for the brain as both a scientific and metaphysical marvel. Rediscovered in the twentieth century after centuries of obscurity, the tabulae pictae affirm Fabrici’s enduring legacy at the intersection of anatomy, art, and philosophy.

Keywords: anatomy; Fabrici d’Acquapendente; manuscript; nervous system; Tabulae Pictae

Published in: The Charcot Journal, 2026, Volume 2, Issue 1, Pages 14-24.

Download PDF: 2026_V2_I1_Zanchin

How to cite this article: Zanchin G. Girolamo Fabrici d’Acquapendente (1533-1619). The Dawn of Color in Anatomy. The Charcot Journal. 2026;2(1):14-24.