Conrad Gesner - Icones animalium quadrupedum uiuiparorum et ouiparorum - 1555

Conrad Gesner's famous giraffe!

Beautiful hand-colored woodcut of a giraffe ( De Camelopardali) from the FIRST EDITION of Gesner's "Icones animalium quadrupedum uiuiparorum et ouiparorum".

From the first edition, being the Latin edition.
Zurich, Christopher Froschauer, 1555.
Dimensions: 16 x 12 cm (woodcut), 38,5 x 24 cm (paper).

"Gesner’ chapter on the giraffe is a very important step in the history of this exotic and rare animal" (Thierry Buquet, Notes on Gesner's giraffe).

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). This woodcut was published in the 3rd volume of the "Historia Animalium" dedicated to birds.

Very good condition, small tear in white margin restored.

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