mundus subterraneus, kircher athanasius

Descrizione libro: JOANNEM JANSSONIUM A WAESBERGE & FILIOS,, Amsterdam:, 1678. Third edition. Two folio volumes (pages 385 x 245 mm) bound in quarter-leather sheepskin with marbled paper-covered boards. Collation: vol. 1: [blank], [engraved frontis portrait of Kircher], [engraved title], [printed title], [16 preliminary pages], 366, [6], [final blank] (with additional 12 folded or double plates, two uncut volvelles, and one single-page plate); vol. 2: [blank], [engraved title], [8 preliminary pages], 507, [9], [final blank] (with additional three folded or double plates and seven single-page plates). Signatures: vol. 1: *4, **6, A-Zz4, Aaa2; vol. 2: *4, A-Rrr4, Sss6. Complete as to text, but apparently lacking one folding plate and the engraving of Pope Alexander VII (although Graesse IV, p. 21 does not call for it in this edition). Leather a bit worn at the extremities with a 2.5 inch crack along the hinge on the first volume, but generally holding well. Sticker on the front paste-down from ?Bibliotheque Charcornac,? the French bookseller and publisher devoted to occult sciences, a written name crossed out on each title page and another written name from 1707. Pages quite fresh and clean, age-toning affecting approximately 30 leaves throughout, damp-staining to the last 10 leaves of volume two, the stray spot or paper flaw, but overall in remarkable condition. Third edition of Kircher?s celebrated work. Based on the author?s experiences of the eruption of Etna and Stromboli in Sicily during 1637 and 1638, this work attempts to show that the subterranean world is composed of two interlocking systems of fire and water. Even though some of its theories were wildly mistaken, it represents the first serious effort to describe the physical makeup of the earth. The world map (Shirley, ?The Mapping of the World,? 436) was one of the earliest to show ocean currents with any degree of accuracy. Other maps include South-East Asia, South Africa, America, South America, the Mediterranean and the location of Atlantis. Kircher discusses subjects such as the transmutations of metals, weathering, fossils, metallurgy and mining, pyrotechnic arts, poisons, hydraulics, distillation, meteorology and mythological monsters. Quite rare with the portrait frontispiece of Kircher intact. Additional images available upon request. Codice libro della libreria 498

Descrizione libro: Amsterdam, 1678. Hardcover. Condizione libro: Very Good. 3rd Edition. quo divinum subterrestris mundi opificium, mira ergasteriorum naturae in eo distributio, verbo pantamorphon Protei regnum, universae denique naturae majestas & divitiae summa rerum varietate exponuntur, abditorum effectuum causae acri indagine inquisitae demonstrantur, cognitae per Artis & Naturae conjugium ad humanae vitae necessarium usum vario Experimentorum apparatu, necnon novo modo, & ratione applicantur. Third edition "ad fidem scripti exemplaris recognita, & prioribus emendatior; tum ab Auctore Romano submissis variis observationibus novisque figuris auctior." Two volumes in one, Volume I (7 books) covers the subject matter listed in the title above, Volume II with content as follows: "Quibus Mundi Subterranei fructus exponuntur, et quidquid tandem rarum, insolitum, et portentosum in foecundo Naturae utero continetur, ante oculos ponitur curiosi lectoris". Latin text, Amsterdam, Apud Joannem Janssonium a Waesberge & Filios, 1678. 3rd edition, folio, 390 x 250 mm, 15½ x 10 inches, 2 engraved title pages by different artists and engravers, engraved vignette to printed title page in Vol.I (printed title not called for in Vol.II), LACKING PORTRAIT OF KIRCHER AND 7 PLATES. Present are 14 engraved plates and maps, 9 of which double page or folding, plus 1 folding plate divided vertically into two, with 4 volvelles, uncut, 2 for page 165, 2 for page 167, many fascinating engraved or woodcut illustrations in the text, woodcut tailpieces and a few initials, pages (18), 366, (6); (8), 507, (9), bound in full panelled calf, blind stamped decorations, rebacked with raised bands, gilt rules and motif in compartments, gilt lettered labels, new endpapers. Covers slightly worn and stained, corners and edges restored, 1 early endpaper retained with Latin inscription dated 1744, browning to margins of all prelims in both vols, light browning to edges of page 1 Vol I, occasional light browning to plate margins, many text page margins slightly browned in Vol. II, slight binding crease across lower inner corner of engraved title page in Vol.I, ink initials at top of licence page, a little worming to lower margin of first 6 prelim leaves in Vol.I, tiny worm track in text from page 73-89, Vol.I, no loss, affecting background of 1 map, another to upper margin from 159-165, another in text from 161-167 both Vol.I, both affecting background of 1 plate (repaired), 2 tiny wormholes in margin from page 501 to end of index in Vol.II, intermittent variable pale damp stain to lower margins from page 81 in Volume I, not affecting legibility, some pages lightly age-browned, heavier in a few places, small closed edge tear to 1 plate just entering image (5 mm, ¼ inch), neatly repaired, slight vertical crease to Asia map at inner edge, small chip to 1 lower text margin, tiny rust hole in 1 page with loss of two letters. A defective tight copy of a scarce book (lacking portrait and 5 plates as noted). Plates present: Typus corporis lunaris; Scherma corporis solaris; Tabula geographica hydrophylacium Asiae majoris (map); Chorographia originis Nili (3 maps on 1 folding plate); America Australis (map); Tabula geographico-hydrographica motus oceani currentes; Mappa fluxus et refluxux, N. & S. America (map); Mappa Mediterranei (map); Systema ideale quo exprimitur aquarum; Systema ideale pyrophylaciorum subterraneorum quorum montes Vulcanii; Vas distillatorum per inclinationem; Fornax spagyrica; Distillatio per retortum; typus sympathicus microcosmi cum megacosmo. The map of the ocean currents of the world is important as one of the first charts to show them. The plates of Vesuvius and Etna are missing. The text illustrations show maps, minerals, subterranean caverns, machinery, distilling equipment, mythical monsters, fossils, insects. Duveen, Bibliotheca Chemica et Alchemica, page 322; Sotheby's Library of the Earls of Macclesfield, Part V, No.1163; Norman Library of Science and Medicine, Part II, No.574. MORE IMAGES ATTACHED TO THIS LISTING. Codice libro della libreria 8884

Descrizione libro: Amsterdam, 1665. EARLY MAP DEPICTING THE WORLD'S OCEAN CURRENTS BY ATHANASIUS KIRCHER Engraving on paper Paper size: 14" x 23" Athanasius Kircher was a 17th-century German Jesuit scholar who published around forty books. Known as "the last Renaissance man", he worked within many fields, but was most notable was his research in geology, oriental studies and medicine. He was also the inventor of the magic lantern, precursor to the cinema. During Kircher's lifetime he earned a global reputation as a scholar and was the very first scientist to be able to support himself through the sale of his books. After having escaped many close calls with Protestant soldiers during the early part of his life, he joined the priesthood in 1628 and left Germany for Rome. He remained there for the rest of his life, earning a living as the professor of mathematics, physics and oriental languages at the Collegio Romano. Eventually, he was able to devote himself fully to his own research. His geological and geographical investigations culminated in Mundus Subterraneus of 1664, in which he suggested that the tides were caused by water moving to and from a subterranean ocean. This map is one of the very first charts to show the worlds ocean currents. There are depictions of what appear to be subterranean tunnels connecting the Mediterranean, Black and Caspian Seas, which reflect Kircher's notion of water movement through the Mediterranean. This is an excellent example of this fascinating and unusual map envisioned by a star intellectual of the 1600's. Book. Codice libro della libreria 000939

Descrizione libro: Amsterdam, 1682. Edition Unknown. Large and exquisite copper engraving of the earth's interior as envisioned by Kircher, from d'Onder-Aardse Weereld, a Dutch edition of "Mundus Subterraneus" (image unchanged from earlier 1678 Latin edition). Size: 16 x 13 inches with centerfold, as issued. *** This stunning map depicts the interior of the earth in cross-section showing a great central fire connecting with erupting volcanoes at the surface and subterranean caverns filled with water that connect with undersea whirlpools and mountainous regions to form springs. The whole scene is circled by ominous clouds with cherubs in the four corners creating the earth's winds. In Kircher's conception of the hydrologic cycle, water circulates within the earth from two causes: 1) interaction with magma heat which causes heated water to rise through fissures and passages emerging as vapor and hot springs; and 2) tidal and surface wind pressure on the ocean surface which forces ocean water into undersea whirlpools through passages that connect with land ultimately emerging as springs. He viewed his hypothesis as analogous to Harvey's circulation of the blood stream. This is one of the most famous and attractive of the early illustrations modeling the earth's interior. Also see Adams "The Birth and Development of the Geological Sciences", Plate XIII. *** Condition: Uncolored as issued. Dark impression with some minor creases and some slight edge abrasion. Much of the text underlying the image is missing and has been replaced with similar paper (the map itself is unaffected and could easily be framed to exclude the text leaving a very nice presentation). Codice libro della libreria 000387

Descrizione libro: Forni, 2011. Condizione libro: New. Seconda edizione anastatica con l'aggiunta dei testi introduttivi in lingua inglese. Riproduzione facsimile dell'originale conservato nella Biblioteca del Centro Italiano di Documentazione Speleologica Italiana, presso il Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e Geologico-Ambientali dell'Università di Bologna. Codice libro della libreria 19281008

Descrizione libro: Forni Editore, Bologna, Editio tertia. Seconda ediz. anastatica con l`aggiunta dei testi introduttivi in lingua inglese a cura di G.B. Vai. Premesse di G.B. Il Mundus Subterraneus è il trattato più geologico del Kircher (1602-1680) che da tre secoli e mezzo affascina anche letterati e chimici, artisti e fisici, matematici e numerologi, filosofi e teologi. Il libro gode ancora di enorme fama per contenere alcune delle prime tavole che illustrano l`interno della Terra e le eruzioni del Vesuvio e dell`Etna. Ma anche per aver rappresentato la mitica Atlantide di Platone come un`isola nel mezzo dell`Oceano Atlantico. Di straordinario fascino sono le rappresentazioni globali del ciclo dell`acqua (idrofilaci o moderni acquiferi) e di quello del fuoco interno terrestre (profilaci o moderne camere magmatiche). È anche uno dei primi libri che si occupano di speleologia. Ma è la struttura interna organica e vitalistica del geocosmo, disegnata dal Divino Architetto, che interessa all`omnisciente gesuita della Controriforma, nel tentativo di scongiurare la frattura fra scienza e filosofia (religione inclusa), fra conoscenza meccanicistica e finalismo del Creato. «Mundus Subterraneus», the most geological among Kircher`s works, since 1665 attracts writers and chemists, artists and physicists, mathematicians and numerologists, philosophers and theologians. The book is still renown for containing some of the finest plates of the Earth`s interior and views of spectacular eruptions of Mt. Vesuvius and Mt. Etna. Plato`s Atlantis is represented as an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Kircher`s water and fire cycles -with hydrophylacia (modern aquifers) and pyrophylacia (modern magma chambers)- are of great impact on modern readers. Furthermore, this is one of the first books also dealing with speleology. The polymath Jesuit of the Catholic reform was fascinated by the organic and vitalistic inner structure of the geocosmos designed by the Divine Architect. Kircher attempted to avoid the break up between science and philosophy (and religion), between new mechanical knowledge and teleology of creation. pp.954, 25 tavv. ft. delle quali 16 a doppia Amsterdam, 1678. pagina, figg.nt. leg.ed.in t.tela. Codice libro della libreria 78042

Descrizione libro: Arnaldo Forni Editore, 2011. Condizione libro: new. (Amsterdam, 1678). Ristampa a cura di G. B. Vai. Premesse di G. B. Vai, N. Morello e U. Eco. Sala Bolognese, 2011; ril., pp. 954, 25 tavv., ill. b/, cm 25x34. «Mundus Subterraneus», the most geological among Kircher's works, since 1665 attracts writers and chemists, artists and physicists, mathematicians and numerologists, philosophers and theologians. The book is still renown for containing some of the finest plates of the Earth's interior and views of spectacular eruptions of Mt. Vesuvius and Mt. Etna. Plato's Atlantis is represented as an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Kircher's water and fire cycles -with hydrophylacia (modern aquifers) and pyrophylacia (modern magma chambers)- are of great impact on modern readers. Furthermore, this is one of the first books also dealing with speleology. The polymath Jesuit of the Catholic reform was fascinated by the organic and vitalistic inner structure of the geocosmos designed by the Divine Architect. Kircher attempted to avoid the break up between science and philosophy (and religion), between new mechanical knowledge and teleology of creation. Codice libro della libreria 179481