Atlas of Anatomy

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 in any language. In 1830, having received his doctorate in medicine three years prior, Bourgery began work on his magnificent atlas in cooperation with illustrator Nicolas Henri Jacob (1782 1871). The first volumes were published the following year, but completion of the treatise required nearly two decades of dedication. The four parts of Bourgery's treatise cover descriptive anatomy, surgical anatomy and techniques, general anatomy and embryology, and microscopic anatomy. Jacob's spectacular hand-colored, life-size lithographs are remarkable for their clarity, color, and aesthetic appeal, reflecting a combination of direct laboratory observation and illustrative research; the images are to this day unsurpassed in anatomical illustration.