Illustration of the concept of the homunculus,after a drawing by Hartsoeker in 1694. In the late17th century, the ovists believed that the egg ofa given organism contained a tiny version of thatorganism. This view persisted until the discoveryof spermatozoa by van Leeuwenhoek in 1677.Thereafter, the concept of the homunculus becamefavoured, where a tiny but complete being existedwithin spermatozoa (or animalcules as they werethen known). The animalculist view was firstproposed by Nicolaas Hartsoeker (1656-1725).Debate between the ovists and animalculistscontinued throughout the 18th century.
