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Original fileTabula Quinta: General Anatomy of the Intestines
menschlicher Darm
About This Work
This copperplate print depicts the exposed abdominal cavity of a human torso, presented from a frontal, slightly elevated perspective. The abdominal wall is cut away to reveal internal structures: the liver and stomach are visible in the upper section, while a dense, coiled mass of small and large intestines occupies the lower cavity. The figure is truncated at the neck and mid-thigh, and the image is heavily annotated with alphabetical markers (A–S) that correlate to a comprehensive key printed in the lower margin.
This illustration is representative of early modern anatomical pedagogy, likely derived from the tradition of Vesalian anatomy (De humani corporis fabrica) which standardized the use of labeled plates to bridge the gap between empirical dissection and medical text.
Inscriptions(Latin)
TABVLA QVINTA INTESTINA GENERALIA secundum naturalem suam positionem demonstrans. LIB I. TAB XII. A. Cartilago ensiformis. B.B. Peritonæum. C.C. Hepatis pars Gibba. D. Ligamentum Hepar septo alligans. E. Venæ umbilicalis portio. F.F. Ventriculus. G. Lienis portiuncula. H. Intestinum cæcum. I. Crassiorum intestinorum principium. à I. ad K. est motus intestini Colon, à rene dextro ad hepar, & à K. transit Colon per fundum ventticuli, & ita per Lienem ad renem sinistrum, & exinde ad intestini recti initium: quod est N. N. Colon in rectum definens. O. Est recti intestini initium sub vesica. R.S.T. Intestina tenuia maxima ex parte sub umbilico, & sic in cæteris.
Translation
Fifth Table: General Intestines, showing them according to their natural position. Book I. Table XII. [Labels follow: A. Xiphoid cartilage. B.B. Peritoneum. C.C. Convex part of the liver. D. Ligament binding the liver to the septum. E. Portion of the umbilical vein. F.F. Stomach. G. Small portion of the spleen. H. Cecum. I. Beginning of the large intestines. From I to K is the movement of the colon, from the right kidney to the liver, and from K the colon crosses through the bottom of the stomach, and thus through the spleen to the left kidney, and from there to the beginning of the rectum, which is N. N. Colon ending in the rectum. O. The beginning of the rectum under the bladder. R.S.T. Small intestines for the most part under the navel, and so on for the rest.]
Connected Texts
Andreas Vesalius
The visual format and didactic labeling system are directly indebted to the anatomical illustrative conventions established by Vesalius in the mid-16th century.
Collections
Provenance & Source
Object
engraving
laid paper
Baroque
German
anatomical
Digital Source
Wikimedia Commons · Public domain
578 × 820 px
Linked Data