Francois Rabelais (c.1494-1553), French satirist. Rabelais started out as a Franciscan monk, and later became an ordained priest. He then abandoned religion for medicine, studying at Poitiers and Montpellier. From 1532, he practiced as a physician in Lyons. He also worked as an editor and translator, working on ancient texts such as the 'Aphorisms' of Hippocrates. Rabelais initially published under the pseudonym Alcofribas Nasier. He is best known for his satirical and humourous work 'Gargantua and Pantagruel', published in five parts from 1532, with the final part published posthumously in around 1564. Reproduction of an original 19th century print.