This striking anatomical figure demonstrates the female reproductive organs. Doctors and philosophers were consistently fascinated by the process of reproduction, and not until female bodies were opened up and dissected in the late Middle Ages did the secrets of reproduction begin to be understood. This anatomical woman, as she will be called here, was depicted as pregnant in both the 1491 and 1493 editions of the Fasciculus medicinae, and is thus often known as the “Gravid Woman,” although that is not an accurate nomenclature in these instances. She is also sometimes referred to as the “Disease Woman” because the text sections that surround the drawing discuss issues specific to women’s health, and the treatise following the drawing is devoted to the diseases of women.

1495: The anatomical woman is drawn seated, the curled wings on either side of her torso the only evidence of her chair. In this position, her legs are spread widely for a clear view of the interior of her torso, which is dominated by the bicornate womb at the base. Above her uterus are the two kidneys, connected by a blood vessel. Small blocks of text surrounding her body describe the parts in relation to reproduction, as well as specific issues and diseases particular to women. Many lines are drawn to the opening of her vagina, lettered to correspond to a description in the text following.

Her head is tilted back and her eyes gaze upwards, almost as if she is in pain or suffering; perhaps a reference to the pain of childbirth experienced by women. The index finger on her left hand is raised, pointing upwards as well. She is depicted with classical features; her loose and curled hair, held back by a ribbon or diadem, especially recalls classical Greek and Roman figures.

1500: The 1500 anatomical woman is nearly identical to the 1495, with the addition of light peach skin-colored wash. The woman’s hair is also tinted a pale yellow.

1509: The 1509 Italian version is, as we have seen before, a mirror-image of the earlier versions, with a few differences. A descriptive title sits at the top of the page, stating this is an image of the womb of a woman. The artist has again retained the myriad of small descriptive pointer lines, but they oftentimes do not connect to a specific description, or are missing a letter corresponding to the text that follows. The arms of the anatomical woman’s chair are a bit more realistically rendered and shaded, and her hair is given more volume. She is still pointing upwards, but her gaze looks to her right.

1513: The 1513 version is nearly identical to the 1495 and 1500 versions, except the text blocks surrounding the figure are not separated by individual frames.

1522: The woodcut of the 1522 version is nearly identical to the 1495, 1500, and 1513 versions. The text is almost exactly the same as the Italian translation of 1509, and is also not separated by individual frames.