Milestones of Science Books

BONAMY, Constantin; BROCA, Paul & BEAU, Emile.

Atlas d'Anatomie Descriptive du Corps Humain.

Paris: Victor Masson, 1854.

2nd Edition. Hardcover. 4to - over 9¾ - 12" tall. Very Good. Item #003765

[1854-1866]. 4 parts bound in 4 volumes. 4to (266 x 198 mm). Each volume with letterpress half-title, title and index of illustrations bound at end of vols. I-III, and a total 257 color lithographed plates on 254 sheets (7 folding) and interleaved with letterpress explanatory text. The vols. III and IV with continuous plate numbering. Uniformly bound in original publisher's half red morocco over marbled boards, each spine with 4 raised bands, compartments paneled and lettered in gilt, top edges gilt, other edges uncut (minor rubbing to extremities, some wear to corners), all leaves mounted on stubs. Some light occasional foxing to text and plates. In all a fine set. ----

SECOND EDITION, totally revised by the authors and the editor, of one of the most famous classic anatomy books of the 19th century and a master piece of color printing. The drawings were made by Emile Beau and were printed by three lithographers: Artus, Lemercier and Auguste Bry. The work was first published in instalments from 1844 to 1866 with a total of 251 plates. The work is highly regarded for the technical perfection of its illustrations. It was probably intended to complement the Anatomie descriptive by Jean Cruveilhier, which was first published in four volumes in 1834-36. Cruveilhier's text, which was influential on the progress of anatomical studies at the École de Medecine at Paris, had no illustrations. The Bonamy-Broca-Beau atlas, with its more than 250 colored lithographed plates after drawings by Emile Beau, one of the foremost anatomical illustrators of the nineteenth century, began to be issued in the early 1840s. The French titles do not reflect any association with Cruveilhier; however, an English translation of the first volume of the Bonamy atlas was published in 1844 in London by Baillière and the title-page of this English edition clearly associates the atlas with Cruveilhier's anatomy, stating that the anatomy is by Cruveilhier, the plate explanations by Bonamy, and the illustrations after Beau. The title-page describes Bonamy as professor of anatomy at Toulouse. He issued the explanations for the first two parts of the anatomy, on the bones and muscles, the heart and vessels; Paul Broca, most famous for his contributions to cerebral anatomy (see Garrison-Morton 1400) and anthropology (see Garrison-Morton 169), provided the explanatory text for the last volume, in two parts, on the digestive, genito-urinary and respiratory systems. These were published in 1850 and 1866, when the atlas was finally completed. Broca was active in the Anatomical Society of Paris, of which Cruveilhier was president until 1866. The artist, Emile Beau, seems to be known only from the numerous French medical books which he illustrated during this period. Literature: Wellcome II, p.197 (1st ed.); Eimas, Heirs of Hippocrates 1775. - Visit our website to see more images!

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