Santiago Ramón y Cajal (1852-1934) was the father of modern neuroscience and an exceptional artist. He devoted his life to the anatomy of the brain, the body's most complex and mysterious organ. His superhuman feats of visualization, based on fanatically precise techniques and countless hours at the microscope, resulted in some of the most remarkable illustrations in the history of science. Beautiful Brain presents a selection of his exquisite drawings of brain cells, brain regions, and neural circuits with accessible descriptive commentary.

The beautiful brain / Eric A. Newman, Alfonso Araque, and Janet M. Dubinsky -- Santiago Ramón y Cajal / Larry W. Swanson -- Drawing the beautiful brain / Lyndel King and Eric Himmel -- The drawings. Cells of the brain -- Sensory systems -- Neuronal pathways -- Development and pathology -- Seeing the beautiful brain today / Janet M. Dubinsky.