"Before the invention of photography, artists played an essential role in the work of anatomists, recording their discoveries in drawings, which were later reproduced as prints that could be studied throughout the scientific world. Starting with the groundbreaking drawings of Leonardo da Vinci - who was, uniquely, both a great artist and a great scientist - these anatomical illustrations developed into an important art form, one that contributed to the maturation of both art and science." "This illustrated book chronicles the remarkable history of anatomical illustration from the Renaissance to the digital Visible Human project of today. Its survey of five and one-half centuries of meticulous visual description by anatomists and artists will be a welcome addition to the libraries of artists, art students, doctors, and anyone interested in the history of science."--BOOK JACKET.