Folia Morphologica (Poland) · Published 2026-02-06 · DOI 10.5603/fm.109678
BACKGROUND: Berengario da Carpi was active during a period when empirical observation began to challenge the long-established authority of textual traditions. In contemporary literature, less attention is paid to the analysis of historical works, a tendency largely resulting from the rapid progress of scientific knowledge and the development of modern techniques for studying the human body. Nevertheless, revisiting historical sources can open new interpretative contexts and serve as a source of inspiration. This paper highlights a key aspect of Berengario da Carpi’s legacy — the earliest known printed neuroanatomical illustration based on direct observation from nature. CONCLUSIONS: Berengario combined the medieval tradition of textual exegesis with the emerging empirical method, thereby contributing to the development of a critical, experience-based approach to anatomy. The works of Berengario da Carpi, “Commentaria and Isagogae breves,” mark a turning point in the history of anatomical teaching, introducing illustration as an integral element of scientific discourse. The brain dissection woodcut included in “Isagogae breves” represents the earliest known printed illustration of the human brain based on direct observation from nature.
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