Controversies Collection

Title page of De Controversiis by Robert Bellarmine
CHT344023 Title page of De Controversiis by Robert Bellarmine, edition published in Cologne in 1620 (printed paper) by German School, (17th century); Bibliotheque Nationale, Paris

The veins of the human body
A woodcut showing the veins of the human body which are just under the skin. From: Mikrokosmographia: a description of the body of man, together with the controversies and figures thereto belonging

Aspen trees

Edward Finch, Churchman
EDWARD FINCH Churchman of royalist sympathies, involved in the political and religious controversies of his day. Date: flourished 1630 - 1641

John Bell, Bishop
JOHN BELL Bishop of Worcester, in his episcopal robes. An active churchman in Henry VIIIs service, involved in the controversies of the divorce. Date: ? - 1556

Saint Elias of Egypt
SAINT ELIAS OF EGYPT Arab convert to Christianity, founded monastery at Jericho, became patriarch of Jerusalem but got involved in theological controversies. Date: ? - 518

Two anatomical figures, one male and the other female
Title page of Mikrokosmographia with two anatomical figures, one male and the other female. Fom: Mikrokosmographia: a description of the body of man

Various surgical instruments
A woodcut depicting various surgical instruments. From: Mikrokosmographia: a description of the body of man, together with the controversies and figures thereto belonging. Date: 1616

The stomach and the gullet with blood supply
A woodcut showing the stomach and the gullet with blood supply. From: Mikrokosmographia: a description of the body of man, together with the controversies and figures thereto belonging. Date: 1616

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Amidst the pulsating veins of life, where the human body's intricate maze of circulatory system intertwines, they have long surged, as depicted in Robert Bellarmine's Title Page of De Controversiis. Contemplating the natural world, Edward Finch, a Churchman, and John Bell, a Bishop, pondered the anatomy of Aspen trees, their leaves quivering in the wind, mirroring the unrest within the Church. In the heart of London's Cheapside, two anatomical figures, one male and the other female, lay bare before the curious eyes of scholars, their insides exposed, revealing the intricacies of the stomach and gullet, with blood vessels supplying life's essentials. Surgical instruments, sharp and precise, were poised to probe deeper into the mysteries of the human body. Yet, the controversies surrounding the study of anatomy were far from over. Saint Elias of Egypt, a revered figure in the Church, would have turned in his grave at the sight of such dissections. The Church, ever divided, continued to grapple with the ethical dilemmas posed by the pursuit of knowledge, as the veins of controversy continued to flow, ebbing and flowing with the tides of time.