Jean-Baptiste Marc Bourgery

Jean-Baptiste Marc Bourgery (May 19, 1797 - June 1849) was a French physician and anatomist who was a native of Orléans.

In 1815 Jean Bourgery began his studies in Paris, where he attended courses given by naturalist Jean Baptiste Lamarck (1744-1829). From 1817 to 1820 he was an intern at Parisian hospitals, and subsequently spent several years as a medical officer at the copper foundries in Romilly-sur-Seine. In 1827 he returned to Paris and received his medical doctorate.

In 1830 Bourgery began work on "Traité complet de l'anatomie de l'homme, comprenant la médecine opératoire", which was an 8-volume masterpiece concerning human anatomy. He worked on this atlas until his death in 1849, with the last volume being published posthumously. The finished work contained 2108 pages of folio-sized text and 726 hand-colored lithographs. The illustrative work was performed by Nicolas-Henri Jacob (1782-1871), who was a student of famed painter Jacques-Louis David (1748-1825).

The first five volumes of "Traité complet de l'anatomie de l'homme" dealt with descriptive anatomy; volumes six and seven covered surgical anatomy; and the last volume discussed general and philosophical anatomy. It is considered to be one of the most comprehensive and beautifully illustrated anatomical works ever published.

References

* [http://www.taschen.com/pages/en/catalogue/classics/reading_room/142.mapping_the_human_body.2.htm Taschen.com, Mapping the Human Body]