RONDELET FISH PRINT - THE LEMON SOLE - WOODCUT 1558

£60.00

With fine later hand colouring, these rare and original woodcuts are from Guillaume Rondelet's magnificent “L’Histoire entire des poissons.”  Published in Lyon, France, in 1558.

Rondelet (1507 -1566) a distinguished zoologist, anatomist and professor of medicine at the University of Montpellier, was seen as “the grandfather of modern ichthyology” and attracted students for all over Europe to his lectures, including eminent zoologists, Ulisse Aldrovandi and Conrad Gesner.

“L’Histoire entire des poissons” is considered the most important and influential of the three illustrated ichthyological books published in the 16th century. Rondelet covers more species than Belon’s 1553 and Salviani’s 1554/7 works.

I…at great expense have sought various kinds of fish, in our sea in the Languedoc, in France, in Italy, and other places. Some of them were sent to me by my friends. I opened them and dissected them. I diligently contemplated all of their interior and exterior parts.”  

Guillaume Rondelet

“Rondelet is superior to the other two authors in the number of fishes he knew, and even though his drawings, which are wood engravings, do not compare to Salviani’s for beauty, they have great accuracy and are especially remarkable for their characteristic details.”   

(Pietsch - Cuvier - Historical Portrait of the Progress of Ichthyology 1995)

condition:Very good with minor show through of text on verso and toning to top right edge, over 450 years old. Please examine our images carefully and contact us if you have any questions. Copy of title page included
size:26 x 18.5 cm 10 ¼ x 7 ¼ inches approx.
RONDELET FISH PRINT  - THE LEMON SOLE -  WOODCUT 1558
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RONDELET FISH PRINT  - THE LEMON SOLE -  WOODCUT 1558