Description
Classic Halloween T-shirt. This famous illustration of a human skeleton is taken from the seminal work on human anatomy De humani corporis fabrica (1543) by Andreas Vesalius.
De Humani Corporis Fabrica Libri Septem (Latin for ‘On the fabric of the human body in seven books’) is a groundbreaking work on human anatomy authored by Andreas Vesalius (1514–1564) and published in 1543. It marked a significant departure from the enduring influence of Galen’s anatomical treatises.
Based on his lectures in Padua, Vesalius broke from convention by personally dissecting cadavers to illustrate his teachings. Prior to this, dissections were typically conducted by barber-surgeons under the supervision of medical doctors. Vesalius’s opus meticulously examined the organs and intricate structure of the human body. This achievement owed much to the Renaissance’s progress in both visual representation and the technical refinement of woodcut engravings.
At just 28 years old, Vesalius took great care in publishing the work, dedicating it to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor. The more than 250 illustrations, often attributed to the ‘studio of Titian’, were of exceptional artistic quality. Unlike the anatomical atlases of the time, typically not produced by anatomy professors themselves, Vesalius’s woodcuts were of superior precision.
The work also contains elements of “memento mori,” a motif reminding viewers of mortality. Common symbols include skulls, bones, coffins, hourglasses, and withering flowers, all serving as poignant reminders of life’s transience. This theme of mortality is a central focus in artistic genres like vanitas, as well as in the depictions of the Danse Macabre and the Grim Reaper. Here the skeleton is leaning on a spade, seemingly preparing to dig their own grave.
Classic 100% cotton tee with taped neck and shoulders, and a double seam at the sleeves and bottom hem. Eldon Threads logo printed discreetly on the reverse as an outer label just below the neck. Open-end yarn. Tubular fabric. Fabric weight: 5.0–5.3 oz/yd² (170-180 g/m²).
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