KIRCHER (A) - PETRUCCI (G). PRODOMO APOLOGETICO ALLI STUDI C - Lot 82

KIRCHER (A) - PETRUCCI (G). PRODOMO APOLOGETICO ALLI STUDI CHIRCHERIANI. Nella quale con un apparato di Saggi diversi, si dà prova dell'esquisito Studio ha tenuto il Celebratissimo Padre Atanasio Chircher Amsterdam, Janssonius Van Waesberge, 1677. In-4° of [16]-200 pages, half vellum with corners (later binding). Rare first edition of this eulogy of Athanasius Kircher written by his friend and collaborator Gioseffo Petrucci. In this biography, he covers the main works of the famous Jesuit scholar, including his vision of mirabilia, the wonders of nature and culture, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, the pyramids of Egypt, the very curious representation of a bat with the head of a cat and the torso of a woman, a burial chamber, the underground world... The illustrations include an allegorical engraved title showing the author close to death, 14 compositions in the text (10 intaglio and 4 woodcuts), 5 full-page intaglio engravings, 8 plates (4 folding) and a folding map of southern Africa. Marginal repair on page 39, gallery at bottom margin, scattered foxing. Handwritten bookplate Jo. Adami Albert de Fabris, and Augustin Seguin.