Bilder Johannes Jonston (1603-1675) – Marine Zoology of Crabs, Turtles, and Starfish – Copper engraving (1650)

Beskrivning

"Amphisbaena marina, Cancer, Testudo marina, Stella marina". This work illustrates a variety of marine fauna including several species of crabs, sea turtles, starfish, and a marine worm. This copper engraving is a leaf from the zoological encyclopedia Historiae Naturalis de Exanguibus Aquaticis Libri IV, published by Matthäus Merian in Frankfurt in 1650. The composition reflects the seventeenth-century scientific effort to categorize and visualize the diversity of oceanic life for a scholarly audience.

Johannes Jonston was a Polish physician, naturalist, and polymath of Scottish descent who authored influential works on zoology. He received his education at several prestigious European universities and spent much of his life traveling and documenting the natural world. His most significant contribution, Historiae Naturalis, became a fundamental reference text across Europe for over a century due to its breadth of information. Jonston is distinguished for his methodical classification of the animal kingdom based on both literary research and contemporary visual records.

Artist or Maker:
Johannes Jonston.

Dimensions:
Approximately 34 cm x 21 cm.

Medium:
Copper engraving.

Date:
1650.

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.