Beautiful hand-colored woodcuts of a River Turtle from Gesner's "Fischbuch". Early German edition of the famous encyclopedia. Frankfurt, Saur, 1598. Dimensions: 35 x 22,7 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 devoted most of his time to 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 the so-called "Fischbuch" dedicated to fish and sea animals. Good condition, old annotation, some old spots and signs of use in white margin.