Conclusion

In a letter to Oporinus, Vesalius repeatedly urged the printer to use the utmost care to print the work as "handsomely" (qtd. in Saunders & O'Malley, 1950, p. 46) as possible. Between Oporinus's efforts, the artists' skill and Vesalius's genius, the Fabrica is a wonder. From its stunning title page to the iconic muscle men images to the meticulous care put into annotating text and illustration, open to any page and you will be struck by the innovation and creative energy present in the work.

While much has been said and written about the Fabrica, mysteries remain to be solved. Who were the artists? Who was the miniaturist who colored the presentation copy? It was only in 2009 that the work was at last fully translated into English. A reasonably priced copy of the translation has not yet been made available for interested readers. And then there is the revised 1555 edition of the Fabrica to consider. The Fabrica is a work of great importance that demands our continued attention. There is still work to be done on this extraordinary book.