KIRCHER, Athanasius (1602-1680). Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae in decem libros digesta, Rome: sumptibus Hermanni Scheus, 1646, 2 volumes in one, 2°, FIRST EDITION, engraved frontispiece by Pierre Miotte of Burgundy and 38 engraved plates, one large and folding, woodcut illustrations, with title to volume II bound in between 3D4 and 3E1 (library markings include title perforation and stamp to plate versos, the folding plate torn at center, preliminaries a little creased at lower outer corner, occasional marginal spotting and soiling and a few short marginal tears), contemporary calf (extremities worn, library label in spine compartment). [Caillet 5770; Honeyman 1814; Hoover 479: "discusses optical phenomena including fluorescence, phosphorescence, and the colour of the chameleon"; Norman 1216] Provenance: "Ex libris Davidis Christiani Hafner 1646" (inscription at head of title); JCL

Details

KIRCHER, Athanasius (1602-1680). Ars Magna Lucis et Umbrae in decem libros digesta, Rome: sumptibus Hermanni Scheus, 1646, 2 volumes in one, 2°, FIRST EDITION, engraved frontispiece by Pierre Miotte of Burgundy and 38 engraved plates, one large and folding, woodcut illustrations, with title to volume II bound in between 3D4 and 3E1 (library markings include title perforation and stamp to plate versos, the folding plate torn at center, preliminaries a little creased at lower outer corner, occasional marginal spotting and soiling and a few short marginal tears), contemporary calf (extremities worn, library label in spine compartment). [Caillet 5770; Honeyman 1814; Hoover 479: "discusses optical phenomena including fluorescence, phosphorescence, and the colour of the chameleon"; Norman 1216] Provenance: "Ex libris Davidis Christiani Hafner 1646" (inscription at head of title); JCL

Lot Essay

"Kircher compared the action of light to that of a magnet, examined the phenomena of bioluminescence and of mineral phosphoresence, and discussed the projection of translucent pictures by means of light rays projected from a pointlike source onto painted mirrors or through illustrated glass spheres" (Norman).

More from University of Chicago Rare Science Duplicates, Part 1

View All