De Humana Physiognomonia Libri IIII.

DELLA PORTA, Giovan Battista.

Item Number: 117045

Vici Aequensis: Giuseppe Cacchi, 1586.

First edition of one of the earliest illustrated works on physiognomy, of considerable influence on succeeding generations of scientists including Lavater. Quarto, bound in full calf with ruling and titles stamped in blind to the spine in twelve compartments within raised bands, elaborate borders stamped in blind to the front and read panels, engraved pictorial title page with central portrait of Cardinale Luigi d’Este to whom the work was dedicated, frontispiece portrait of the author, 85 engravings throughout text, engraved headpieces, tailpieces and initials. In near fine condition. A stunning example.

The ancient science of character-reading from physiognomy saw its Renaissance revival in Italian polymath Giovanni Battista della Porta's widely influential De Humana Physiognomonia. "Della Porta preceded [Swiss eighteenth-century pastor Johann Kaspar] Lavater in attempting to estimate human character by the features. This is one of the first works on the ancient 'science' of physiognomy to be extensively illustrated" (Garrison & Morton 150).