Bilder Ulisse Aldrovandi (1522-1605) – The Human Being – engraving (1648)

Beskrivning

"Der Mensch. XXIV." depicts the biblical figures of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, standing beside the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. This engraving was published in Bologna in 1648 within a German edition of the Musaeum Metallicum, printed by Giovanni Battista Ferroni. The central illustration shows Eve reaching for the forbidden fruit as the serpent watches from the tree, surrounded by various animals including a lion and a stag. The composition is accompanied by gothic letterpress text listing twenty-four anatomical and medicinal preparations derived from the human body, reflecting the complex intersection of theology, natural history, and early pharmacology in the seventeenth century.

Ulisse Aldrovandi was a celebrated italian naturalist and professor at the University of Bologna who is considered a founding father of modern natural history. He dedicated his life to the systematic collection and classification of thousands of specimens from the animal, vegetable, and mineral kingdoms. His massive personal museum and research library provided the foundation for a monumental series of illustrated scientific volumes. Aldrovandi's work was essential in transitioning natural science from classical lore to empirical observation during the late renaissance.

Artist or Maker: Ulisse Aldrovandi.

Dimensions: Approximately 32 cm x 19 cm.

Medium: engraving.

Date: 1648.

Condition Report:
This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.