Details
SOEMMERRING, Samuel Thomas von (1755-1830). Icones embryonum humanorum. Frankfurt: Varrentrapp and Wenner, 1799.
Broadsheets (630 x 450 mm). 2 engraved plates after Christian Koch by F.L Neubauer, Hüllmann and Klauber, engraved vignette on title-page and engraved vignette on verso of final leaf (slight dampstaining along gutters). Original paper boards, paper label on front cover, uncut (some wear and minor spotting). Provenance: Ira M. Rutkow (pencil signature on rear pastedown); early pencil annotations on plates.
FIRST EDITION of two exceptionally beautiful imperial folio plates, each with several figures, showing the developing embryo in series, engraved after drawings by Christian Kock. Soemmerring intended these illustrations to supplement Jan van Rymsdyk's plates for William Hunter's Gravid Uterus, which show only the latter half of pregnancy. For beauty and accuracy Kock's illustrations rival those of van Rymsdyk. Kock, whom Soemmerring personally trained, has been acknowledged as one of the greatest anatomical illustrators. Concerning Soemmerring's relationship with Kock, Choulant writes the following: "For the drawing of his plates he had him himself trained Christian Kock, a stucco-worker, modeler, and draftsman, whom had found in Mayence, and whom he esteemed highly. Kock was indeed especially gifted for that kind of illustration and knew how to use sepia and pigment, but particularly the pencil, to excellent advantage. He turned out most admirable illustrations, unexcelled in purity, certainty, and truthfulness... But Kock caused him a great deal of trouble, especially when he went to Moscow, where he was very unfortunate and could only return to Munich in 1809, after great pecuniary sarcifices on Soemmerring's part. In Frankfort, as in other cities, Kock lived with Soemmerring" (Choulant-Frank p. 302). Heirs of Hippocrates 704; Waller 9045.
Broadsheets (630 x 450 mm). 2 engraved plates after Christian Koch by F.L Neubauer, Hüllmann and Klauber, engraved vignette on title-page and engraved vignette on verso of final leaf (slight dampstaining along gutters). Original paper boards, paper label on front cover, uncut (some wear and minor spotting). Provenance: Ira M. Rutkow (pencil signature on rear pastedown); early pencil annotations on plates.
FIRST EDITION of two exceptionally beautiful imperial folio plates, each with several figures, showing the developing embryo in series, engraved after drawings by Christian Kock. Soemmerring intended these illustrations to supplement Jan van Rymsdyk's plates for William Hunter's Gravid Uterus, which show only the latter half of pregnancy. For beauty and accuracy Kock's illustrations rival those of van Rymsdyk. Kock, whom Soemmerring personally trained, has been acknowledged as one of the greatest anatomical illustrators. Concerning Soemmerring's relationship with Kock, Choulant writes the following: "For the drawing of his plates he had him himself trained Christian Kock, a stucco-worker, modeler, and draftsman, whom had found in Mayence, and whom he esteemed highly. Kock was indeed especially gifted for that kind of illustration and knew how to use sepia and pigment, but particularly the pencil, to excellent advantage. He turned out most admirable illustrations, unexcelled in purity, certainty, and truthfulness... But Kock caused him a great deal of trouble, especially when he went to Moscow, where he was very unfortunate and could only return to Munich in 1809, after great pecuniary sarcifices on Soemmerring's part. In Frankfort, as in other cities, Kock lived with Soemmerring" (Choulant-Frank p. 302). Heirs of Hippocrates 704; Waller 9045.