Milestones of Science Books

LEVELING, Heinrich Palmaz.

Anatomische Erklärung der Original-Figuren von Andreas Vesal, samt einer Anwendung der Winslowischen Zergliederungslehre in sieben Büchern.

Ingolstadt: Anton Attenkhover, 1783.

2nd Edition. Hardcover. Very Good. Item #002675

Folio (419 x 282 mm). [16], [10], 328 pp. Includes additional pictorial woodcut title from the first folio, letterpress title dated 1783 with engraved vignette portrait of Leveling by Jungwierth dated 1782, 4-page list of subscribers, 2 folding woodcut plates from the epitome (1543), over 200 woodcut text illustrations of which 21 full-page (3 plates with folding-in flaps to protect oversized illustrations). Without blank 2U2. Contemporary full calf, spine with 6 raised bands ruled in gilt and with gilt-lettered label (considerable wear and cratching to spine, boards and extremities, lettering piece chipped). Text and plates with light browning and occasional minor spotting. A handsome copy. ----

Cushing, VI.A-15; Choulant-Frank, p.185; Heirs of Hippocrates 1042; Waller 5752. - SECOND EDITION, LIMITED TO 1500 COPIES, many of which were sold by subscription. It is the second (and usual) issue of the last edition to use the original woodblocks of the Fabrica and Epitome prior to the Bremer Presse edition of 1934-35. The blocks were destroyed in the bombing of Munich during World War II. Vesalius' acclaimed anatomy book is considered a milestone in anatomic book art. For a long time, authorship of the illustrations was unknown. Today, it is regarded certain that they were made by the Dutchman and student of Titian, Jan Stephan van Calcar. For the purpose of printing, the woodcut stocks were transported from Venice to Basel. As of 1706, they had been in possession of the printer Andreas Maschenbauer in Augsburg. Half a century later the plates went into ownership of the Bavarian physician Johann Anton von Wolter, who intended to supply the illustrations with German text in order to "have a useful anatomy book for Bavarian surgeons, which, illustrated with such exquisite figures, would be a perfect guideline." In order to put this plan into practice, Heinrich Palmaz Leveling, a professor for anatomy at the Bavarian State University in Ingolstadt, was eventually commissioned. Leveling faced the challenge to endorse the more than 200 years old anatomic illustrations with a German text that was supposed to reflect latest anatomic knowledge. He much drew upon the 'Abhandlung von dem Bau und der Zergliederung des menschlichen Leibes' published by the anatomist Jakob Winslow (1669-1760) in 1754. The biggest challenge for Leveling presumably was to employ German terminology exclusively, that is why he added a 'Verzeichnis der gemeinsten, in diesem Werke vorkommenden Kunstwörter' (glossary of terms) in which he translated every Latin term into German. The original woodblocks remained in possession of the Bavarian State University and came via Landshut to Munich, where they were printed 1934 in a bibliophile edition with Latin text for the last time. Ten years later, all woodblocks burned in an air raid over Munich. (Source: Ingolstadt, Medizin-Historisches Museum).

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