RCSI Heritage Collections

In these dark, damp and deeply cold evenings it is nice to gaze at a beautifully crafted stained glass window with its magnificent array of colours. And what better way to to do so then while keeping warm indoors! The RCSI is very fortunate to have a number of stained glass windows in it's historic building on Stephens Green. Two of which come from the internationally revered and highly sought after Harry Clarke Studios. Harry Clarke took over his father's stained glass studios in Dublin in 1921 and soon became synonymous with unique and exceptionally crafted stained glass. Despite his untimely death in January 1931, the Harry Clarke Studios continued to produce stunning pieces of art for all over the world. In 1930 Terence Clarke, a nephew of Harry, entered the family studios as an apprentice quickly learning and honing his skill as a stained glass artist.     Detail of 'Mother and Child' stained glass panel in the RCSI Chapel of Meditation  Terence Cla...

The 1555 copy of Andreas Vesalius’  De Humani Corporis Fabrica   is perhaps the most important book held by RCSI Library.  Just over one hundred copies of this work are known to exist worldwide and RCSI holds the only known copy in Ireland. It is considered a masterpiece in the fields of both anatomy and art. It is 500 years since the birth of Andreas Vesalius one of the greatest anatomists and dissectors of the medical world. BBC4 recently ran a series on TV called The Beauty of Anatomy   which features a different anatomist for each of its 5 episodes. One of these anatomists was none other than the great Vesalius.   Engraving by Tintoretto of Vesalius c1540  Vesalius was born in Brussels on 31 December 1514. He started his medical studies in the University of Paris in 1533 where he learned the art of dissection. In 1538 he had moved to the University of Padua where he received his M.D. and was appointed a lecturer in anatomy. It was here that...