Historia animalium ("History of the Animals"), published in
Zurich in 1551–1558 and 1587, is an encyclopedic "inventory of renaissance zoology" by
Conrad Gessner (1516–1565). Gessner was a medical doctor and professor at the
Carolinum in Zürich, the precursor of the
University of Zurich. The Historia animalium, after
Aristotle's work of the same name, is the first modern
zoological work that attempts to describe all the animals known, and the first
bibliography of natural history writings. The five volumes of
natural history of animals cover more than 4500 pages.[1]
Overview
The Historia animalium was Gessner's
magnum opus, and was the most widely read of all the Renaissance natural histories. The generously illustrated work was so popular that Gessner's abridgement, Thierbuch ("Animal Book"), was published in Zurich in 1563, and in England
Edward Topsell translated and condensed it as a Historie of foure-footed beastes (London:
William Jaggard, 1607).[1] Gessner's monumental work attempts to build a connection between the ancient knowledge of the animal world, its title the same as
Aristotle's work on animals, and what was known at his time. He then adds his own observations, and those of his correspondents, in an attempt to formulate a comprehensive description of the
natural history of animals.[2]
Gessner's Historia animalium is based on
classical sources. It is compiled from ancient and medieval texts, including the inherited knowledge of ancient naturalists like
Aristotle,
Pliny the Elder,[1] and
Aelian.[2] Gessner was known as "the Swiss Pliny."[3] For information he relied heavily on the Physiologus.[3]
In his larger works Gessner sought to distinguish fact from myth and popular misconceptions,[4] and so his encyclopedic work included both extinct creatures and newly discovered animals of the
East Indies, those of the
far north and animals brought back from the
New World. The work included extensive information on
mammals,
birds,
fish, and
reptiles. It described in detail their daily habits and movements. It also included their uses in
medicine and
nutrition.[1]
Historia animalium showed the animals' places in
history,
literature and
art. Sections of each chapter detailed the animal and its attributes, in the tradition of the
emblem book. Gessner's work included facts in different languages such as the names of the animals.[5]
Fantastical creatures
There have been various academic studies relating to Gessner's inclusion of fantastical creatures in the volumes, such as the
sea monk,
sea bishop, or
ichthyocentaur.[6][7]
Gessner was aware of fakery in the curio shops market, where dried rays were manipulated to look like dragons (for example
Jenny Hanivers).[8] There may have also been fake mermaid-like creatures being imported from China by the Dutch.[9]
Also, commercial interests may also have motivated publishers or authors such as Gessner to include such creatures to boost sales.[6] But Gessner was known for meticulously checking facts, and it has been suggested that publishers may have interpolated material when Gessner was in no condition to gainsay them, since the author was already morbidly ill by the time of these publications.[7] In fact there is the example of the Su of Patagonia, posthumously inserted in the 1603 Frankfurt edition.[7]
The colored
woodcut illustrations were the first real attempts to represent animals in their natural environment. It is the first book to illustrate
fossils.[5][10]
Gessner acknowledges one of his main illustrators was
Lucas Schan,[11] an artist from
Strasbourg. He likely used other illustrators as well as himself;[3] the book is however famous for copying illustrations from other sources, including Durer's Rhinoceros from a well-known 1515
woodcut.[2] Gessner's natural history was unusual for sixteenth century readers in providing illustrations.[3]
^
abAnzovin, p. 366 item 5210 The first fossil illustrations were contained in the Historia animalium, published in 1551 by Swiss physician and naturalist Conrad von Gessner.
^Tallack, Peter, The Science Book, Sterling Publishing Company, 2006,
ISBN1-84188-254-2, p. 46 Gessner’s classical training taught him to give pride of place to naming and classifying the fossils he described. Most importantly, he was concerned with precise identification. His book was the first to present fossil illustrations so students may more easily recognize objects that cannot be very clearly described in words.
Fudge, Erica (2004). Renaissance Beasts: Of Animals, Humans, and Other Wonderful Creatures. University of Illinois Press.
ISBN0-252-02880-5.
Gmelig-Nijboer, Caroline Aleid (1977). Conrad Gessner's 'Historia animalium': an inventory of renaissance zoology. Meppel.
Gessner, Conrad; et al. (1971). Curious Woodcuts of Fanciful and Real Beasts - A Selection of 190 Sixteenth-century Woodcuts from Gessner's and Topsell's Natural Histories. Dover Publications.
ISBN04862270-1-4.
Gudger, E. W. (1934). "Jenny Hanivers, Dragons and Basilisks in the Old Natural History Books and in Modern Times". The Scientific Monthly. 38 (6): 511–523.
JSTOR15490
Huxley, Robert; et al. (2007). The Great Naturalists. Thames & Hudson.
ISBN978-0-500-25139-3.
Jardine, Secord; et al. (1996). Cultures of Natural History. Cambridge University Press.
ISBN0-521-55894-8.
Library Company of Phil, Steven (2000). Legacies of Genius: A Celebration of Philadelphia Libraries: A Selection of Books, Manuscripts, & Works of Art.
ISBN1-151-45471-0.
Ogilvie, Brian W. (2006). The Science of Describing: Natural History in Renaissance Europe. University of Chicago Press.
ISBN0-226-62087-5.