Della Porta - De Humana Physiognomonia - 1650

Many large engravings, showing the correspondence between the human physical type and its characteristic animal.
Drawings that allow us to identify the traits of criminal or murderous, rudeness, irascibility, lack of discipline, intelligence and modesty.

“This is the most complete and rarest edition of De humana physiognomonia” with the addition of the IV volume, missing in the previous editions (Dorbon).

Rare edition of the book written by the famous Neapolitan mathematician (Naples 1535-1615), founder of the ‘Accademia degli Oziosi’, expert in occult sciences and founder of physiognomy.
Very important iconographic apparatus and wonderful workmanship, which will influence subsequent generations of scientists. Figurative analogies between animals and humans are interesting, on which the author bases his theories, then developed by Lombroso, according to which somatic characters are evident expression of character.

Coeval full leather binding, restored spine, with cold press gold fleurons and titles, signs of wear on the covers, two repaired prints. Solid binding and crisp interior, with clear pages and bright inks. Pp. (12), 403. (40).

Full title:
De Humana Physiognomonia Ioannis Baptistae Portae Neapolitani Libri IV. Qui ab extimis, quae in hominum corporibus conspiciuntur signis, ita eorum naturas, mores & consilia (egregiis ad viuum expressis Iconibus) dimostrante, ut intimos animi recessus penetrare videantur. Editio postrema priori correctior

Bibliography: OLSCHKI 9329, BRUNET IV P.825, WELLCOME 5196, WALLER 7566, DURLING 3720, EREDI 232, GARRISON-MORTON 150, OSLER 3714, CUSHING P.346, BIRD 1974, CICOGNARA 2454, BRUNET 6991, BL IT BOOKS P.536, GARRISON HIST. MED. P.231, CASTIGLIONI P.515.
Graesse V: p.417. - Adams P: 1925. - Brunet IV: 826. - Garrison & Morton No.150 (1586 edition).

An extraordinary illustrated book of the 17th century, and one of the first works on physiognomy, which precedes by about two hundred years Lavater’s attempts to estimate the human character by face features. Porta’s treatises on human physiognomy attempt to ‘scientifically’ establish the correspondence between the external form of the body and the internal character of a person, in particular the mental and moral attributes. Physiognomy (literally ‘knowledge of nature’) is the art of reading a person’s character, disposition, even their future from the marks on their face.

Giovanni Battista Della Porta, also referred to as Giambattista or Giovambattista (Vico Equense, 1 November 1 - Naples, 1535 February 4), was an Italian philosopher, alchemist, playwright and scientist.

To carry out the work, Della Porta visited the public prisons, where there is always a great multitude of thieves, parricides, street murderers, and other similar people. He also looked at their profiles, comparing them with animals, to find connections and provide interpretations.

In 1586 published the work De humana fisionomonia in 4 books about physiognomy with J. Cacchi of Vico Equense, dedicated to Cardinal Luigi d’Este, which will then influence the work of the Swiss Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741-1801).
He believed that ‘the soul is not impervious to the movements of the body and, like the body, is corrupted by passions’. He carefully studies the signs of the hands (especially of criminals), convinced that such signs are not the result of chance but important clues to fully understand the character of men.

‘His devotion to experimentation and his study of mathematics brought him to the brink of greatness in the 1680s, but he was soon overwhelmed again by the lure of the occult and the marvellous. Perhaps Porta’s most convincing virtue and weakness is this youthful enthusiasm for the things of nature. There is a joy in his studies that not even the effort of working on the telescope and parabolic mirrors could diminish.’ (DSB XI: 98).

Full title:
De Humana Physiognomonia Ioannis Baptistae Portae Neapolitani Libri IV. Qui ab extimis, quae in hominum corporibus conspiciuntur signis, ita eorum naturas, mores & consilia (egregiis ad viuum expressis Iconibus) dimostrante, ut intimos animi recessus penetrare videantur. Editio postrema priori correctior.
Rouen, Jean Berthelin.