Academicarum Annotationum. Liber Primus. Continet anatomica, physiologica, zoographica, phytographica; Liber Secundus Continet anatomica, physiologica, pathologica; Liber Tertius, Continet anatomica, physiologica, pathologica, zoographica; Liber Quartus Continet anatomica, physiologica, pathologica

Leiden: Verbeek, 1754. First edition.

28 EXQUISITE COPPER PLATES OF ANATOMIC DETAILS BY DUTCH PHYSICIAN BERNHARD SIEGFRIED ALBINUS, ENGRAVED BY CONTEMPORARY ARTIST, JAN WANDELAAR IN 1754.

10 inches tall hardcover, 1/2 leather binding, brown speckled paper covered boards, spine with raised bands, gilt title to spine, containing 4 books. 2 leaves, Book I, 96, 99-104 pp, 1 leaf, 7 plates; Book II, 114 pp, 7 plates; 1Book III, 120 pp, 7 plates; Book IV, 118 pp, 7 plates, colophon. Covers heavily worn, spine edges cracked, hinges holding, binding tight, pages age-toned, light foxing to first and last pages, plates crisp and clean, very good minus.

BERNHARD SIEGFRIED ALBINUS (1697 - 1770) was born at Frankfurt on the Oder where his father, Bernhard Albinus was professor of the practice of medicine. In 1702 the latter was transferred to the chair of medicine at Leiden University, and it was there that Bernhard Siegfried began his studies in 1709, at the age of 12, having for his teachers such men as Boerhaave and Nikolaus Bidloo. Having finished his studies at Leiden, he went to Paris in 1718, where he devoted himself especially to anatomy and botany. After a year's absence he was, on the recommendation of Boerhaave, recalled in 1719 to Leiden to be a lecturer on anatomy and surgery. Two years later, Albinus became rector of the medical school. In 1745 Albinus was appointed professor of the practice of medicine. Albinus "was the pioneer of a new epoch in human anatomy, an epoch during which all investigations, and especially those pertaining to osteology and myology, were carried out with the most perfect thoroughness and exactitude and with all the means then available. Anatomic representation, too, enters upon an epoch of high perfection during which the mere outward appearance, superficial investigations, or the mere copying of subjects observed prove insufficient. Artistic and faithful representations of the true form and connection of anatomic structures, discovered through repeated comparative studies, are now demanded. What demands Albinus made upon himself in this respect and how he exerted all his energies toward the conscientious preparation for publication of his anatomic Ilustrations, can best be learned from the preface to the first volume of the work offered here--a description of the processes used by him and by the artist in the production of his illustrations." (Choulant, History and Bibliography of Anatomic Illustration, p. 276).

The artist and engraver with whom Albinus did nearly all of his work was JAN WANDELAAR (1690–1759), a pupil of Johannes Jacobsz Folkema, Gilliam van der Gouwen, and Gerard de Lairesse. He became the teacher of Pieter Lyonet and Abraham Delfos. The 28 copper plate engravings contained in the present volume are exquisite examples of his art, including details of human anatomy (teeth, middle ear, brain, intestinal tract, reproductive sysem, fetus), plants, and animals.