Metamorphosis et Historia Naturalis Insectorum Vols I-III

Jan Goedart (Joanne Goedartio), Joannis de Mey, Paul Veezaerdt (translation)

Edité par Jacobum Fierensium, Medioburgi [Middleburgh], 1700

A propos de cet article

A very scarce early work on the metamorphosis of insects. Goedart, trained as an artist, set up, observed and documented a series of 'experiments' which demonstrated that insects radically change their appearance as they develop. So the egg, caterpillar and butterfly can be the same animal rather than 3 different ones. This was ground-breaking. He originally wrote in Dutch with the first part of his work appearing in 1662. Two more volumes followed in 1667 and 1669. Vols I and III were translated into Latin by Joannis de Mey with the translation for Vol II completed by Paul Veezaerdt. A French translation was published in 1700, in Amsterdam and Middleburgh. This set is the Latin translation, reissued in 3 volumes in 1700, which has acquired the decorative title of the Middleburgh French translation in Vol I at some point. It is particularly scarce because the accompanying plates are hand coloured. The set is bound in 2 volumes (Vol I and Vols2/3 bound together) in recent (1972) full calf with raised bands and title label to spines. Endpapers are marbled. Vol I: 3 initial blanks (new); hand coloured engraved title in French (laid down with repair); title in red and black inks with red scorpion design in Latin; preface 15pp; Commentary by Johannis de Mey dated 1700 11pp; half title; hand coloured portrait of Goedart; text 1-191; appendices 193-236 with 1 black and white plate; Finis; 63 plate pages (in colour - some pages have more than one numbered plate) - final plate is a coloured version of the black and white plate; one original and 3 new blanks. Vol II/III: hand coloured decorative title in Latin (paper repair to side edge); title with scorpion design - title change from 'Metamorphosis' to 'Metamorphoseos'; epistola by Veezaerdt 25pp; preface with poem 5pp; Text pp 1-210; Finis; translation notes 211-259; Finis; 42 colour plate pages; hand coloured decorative title; title with scorpion design; dedication 8pp; preface 5pp; index 1p; text 1-45; appendix 47-159 Finis; 18 colour plate pages - last 2 folding - 18 with taped joint; 3 final blanks. The bindings are clean and sound with little wear. The contents are generally clean with occasional light marking. The paper (both text and plate) varies in thickness and degree of toning with some sections very browned. The images on the plates tend to show through to the other side of the paper. The second plate in Vol I has some damage to the bottom edge not affecting the image. Please enquire if you would like to see additional images.

N° de réf. du vendeur 033403

Détails bibliographiques

• Titre: Metamorphosis et Historia Naturalis Insectorum Vols I-III
• Éditeur: Jacobum Fierensium, Medioburgi [Middleburgh]
• Date de parution: 1700
• Langue: latin
• Reliure: Full-Leather
• Illustrateur: Jan Goedart
• État de l'article: Good
• Catalogues du vendeur:
  • NATURAL HISTORY
  • Entomology/Insects
  • 17th century works