Lesser / Lyonnet - Teologia degl'Insetti - 1751

THEOLOGY OF INSECTS, WHEN THE MINIMAL NATURE BECOMES PROOF OF THE DIVINE
The Theology of Insects is one of the most fascinating and ambiguous works of eighteenth-century Europe, suspended between natural science, moral philosophy, and natural theology. In this monumental treatise, Friedrich Christian Lesser and Pierre Lyonnet transform meticulous observation of insects into a theological argument: the perfection of the humbler forms becomes demonstration of divine perfection. The Venetian Remondini edition of 1751, presented here, restores the work in its most authoritative Italian guise, enriched by a highly refined iconographic apparatus with striking engraving.
MARKET VALUE
On the antiquarian market, the Venetian edition of 1751 of The Theology of Insects, complete with the two volumes and the plates, generally falls within a range of 500 to 1,500 euros, with higher prices for well-preserved copies, fresh paper, and intact contemporary bindings. The presence of complete engraved plates in good impression is a decisive element for valuation.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION AND CONDITION
Contemporary full parchment binding, smooth spine with gold title on a label, few signs of wear, speckled edges. Volume one and volume two. Numerous copper-engraved plates, some folded, depicting insects, larvae, anatomy and geometric structures. Some browning, aging, and a few minor marginal tears. In old books with a centuries-long history, a few imperfections may be present, not always noted in the description. Pp. (2); 6nn; 284; 8nn; 254; (2).

FULL TITLE AND AUTHOR
The Theology of Insects, or Demonstration of the Divine Perfections.
Venice, In the Remondini Printing House, 1751.
Friedrich Christian Lesser, Pierre Lyonnet.

CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
The work fully situates itself within the tradition of eighteenth-century physics-based theology, which reads nature as a book of God. Lesser constructs an argumentative system in which insects, long considered imperfect or even equivocal forms, become the supreme proof of divine order and intelligence. Lyonnet, an exceptionally precise anatomist, adds scientific observations of the highest level, anticipating the modern entomology in methodological rigor. The lengthy dissertations on generation, metamorphosis, and the anatomical organization of insects dialogue continually with Aristotle’s natural philosophy, Pliny, and the Christian tradition, creating a work that is at once scientific, moral, and symbolic. The engraved plates are not mere illustrations but true epistemic instruments, in which geometric order reflects cosmic order.

BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR
Friedrich Christian Lesser (1692–1754) was a Lutheran theologian and German naturalist, among the leading exponents of eighteenth-century natural theology. Convinced that studying nature was a form of worship, he devoted much of his work to proving divine harmony through scientific observation.
Pierre Lyonnet (1708–1789), Dutch engraver and naturalist, was renowned for his microscopic dissections and for the precision of his anatomical plates, considered among the most accurate of the century.

PRINTING HISTORY AND CIRCULATION
The work first spread in German- and French-speaking areas before reaching Italian translation. The Venetian Remondini edition of 1751 represents one of the most important moments in its European circulation, thanks to the typographic and engraving quality of the Remondini workshop, a leading force in eighteenth-century illustrated publishing. The edition was not produced in large numbers, and complete copies are today relatively rare on the market.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
BnF, Catalogue général, Lesser / Lyonnet, Théologie des Insectes.
WorldCat, eighteenth-century European editions.
Nissen, Zoologische Buchillustration.
Blunt, The Art of Botanical and Zoological Illustration.