Conrad Gesner - Vogelbuch - 1617

Beautiful original hand-colored woodcut, heightened with egg-white, of a Great Bustard from Gesner's Historiae animalium Liber III "Vogelbuch", 1617.

Frankfurt, E. Emmel für H. Laurentius, 1617
Dimensions: 35,4 x 24,2 cm.

Conrad Gesner is considered the father of modern scientific bibliography, zoology and botany.
He was a Renaissance polymath, physician, philosopher, bibliographer, philologist, natural historian, and illustrator who spent most of his time collecting, researching, and writing. He compiled monumental works on bibliography (Bibliotheca universalis 1545–1549) and zoology (Historia Animalium 1551–1558). These woodcuts were published in so called " Vogelbuch" dedicated to birds.

Good condition.