„Fischbuch. Das ist ein kurtze, doch vollkom(m)ne beschreybung aller Fischen so in dem Meer und süssen wasseren...“,
Zürich: Froschauer, 1563 (dt. Erstausgabe)
„Thierbuch. Das ist ein kurtze beschreybung aller vier füssigen Thieren...“, Zürich: Froschauer, 1583
We are offering two rare works of natural study by Conrad Gesner in one volume, wonderfully illustrated with more than 500 woodcuts of animals, partly close to nature, partly very quaint.
The first volume is the fish book in its first German edition. It contains more than 400 woodcuts showing not only usual fishes but also sea monsters and other strange creatures.
The second work which is bound previous of the fish book is Gesner’s animal book. It includes a partly coloured title woodcut and 146 woodcuts within the text which are showing various quadruples, among them also fabulous animals like the unicorn.
Both works feature throughout very beautiful impressions of the animal woodcuts. For his illustrations, Gesner collected masters by colleagues from all over the world. The woodcuts are mostly scientific naturalistic thus being a new kind of book illustration in Zurich.
Title
Fischbuch. Das ist ein kurtze, doch vollkom(m)ne beschreybung aller Fischen so in dem Meer und süssen wasseren... jr wonung habend, sampt jrer waren conterfactur, zu nutz und gutem allen Artzeten, Maleren, Weydleuten und Köchen... Erstlich in Latin beschriben: yetzt neüwlich aber durch D. Cunrat Forer... in das Teütsch gebracht.
Thierbuch. Das ist ein kurtze beschreybung aller vier füssigen Thieren... Erstlich... in Latin beschriben, yetzunder aber durch D. Cunrat Forer... in das Teütsch gebracht.
Author
Conrad Gesner (Conrad Gessner, Conrad Geßner, Conrad von Gesner, Conradus Gesnerus, Konrad Gessner) (26 March 1516 – 13 December 1565) was a Swiss naturalist, physician and philologist.
He is considered one of the most famous and most important Swiss naturalists and scholars as well as one of the founders of modern zoology.
Gesner also founded the Zurich botanical garden as well as an important collection of naturalia.
