Classical physicians had no problem dissecting cadavers to advance their medical knowledge, but for the Christian and Islamic courts of the Medieval era this was a huge taboo. This was especially true for Christians, who believed that when the world came to an end and was transformed into the Kingdom of Christ, they would be resurrected in their own bodies. With the rediscovery of classical and Arabic medical knowledge, however, the Church realised its importance in investigating some of the terrible illnesses that plagued the Renaissance world, and gave its permission for highly trained, often clerical doctors, and certain favoured artists, such as Leonardo da Vinci, to explore the technique once more.
Anatomical drawings from a cadaver had to be made quickly – with nothing in the way of refrigeration,…
