Magiae Naturalis, Libri Viginti
$2,200.00
- Author/Editor: Io Baptistae Portae Neapolita (Giovanni Battista della Porta) (Giambattista della Porta)
- Publisher: Francofurti (Frankfurt): Apud Andreae Wecheli heredes, Claudium Marnium, and Ioann Aubrium
- Date: 1591
- Condition: very good
Contemporary vellum stiff wrappers, red leather title morocco laid on spine and lettered in gilt. Three leaves blank at front, [pp. 1-33 index] pp. 1-669, with four leaves blank at rear. Illustrated with woodcuts. Shrinkage, warping, and wear to vellum. Some pencil and light pen notations front flyleaf, page edges darkened. Contents in very good condition with little to no browning. An important work of Renaissance science, Porta wrote what may be the earliest description of a camera obscura, among other topics like magnetism and demonology. This edition published during Porta's lifetime.
