Printed from the original woodblocks

LEVELING, Heinrich Palmaz [VESALIUS, Andreas].

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

Ingolstadt: Anton Attenkhover, 1783.

2nd Edition. Hardcover. Large Folio. Very Good. Item #003757

Large folio (420 x 273 mm). [20], 328, [6] pp. Includes additional pictorial woodcut title from the first folio bound as frontispiece, letterpress title dated 1783 with engraved vignette portrait of Leveling by Jungwierth dated 1742, 4-page index, 6-page list of subscribers bound at end, 2 folding woodcut plates from the epitome (1543) bound between p. 306 and 307, over 200 woodcut text illustrations of which 21 full-page. Without blanks 2*2 and 2U2 as usual. 19th century vellum, plain spine hand lettered, red sprinkled edges (joints partially split and chipped near head and foot, boards slightly bowed). Text somewhat browned, scattered brown spotting heavier to first half and the two plates, light dampstaining to frontispiece, letterpress title and a few text leaves, oversized woodcut on p. 192 and 225 a few mm shaved at head and foot. Provenance: Alessandro Kraus, Florence (ink stamp to first preliminary page); collectors ink stamp to title. ----

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). Some copies contain either a short list of subscribers issued with the first fascicle or a longer list issued with the last (as here). - Visit our website to see more images!

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