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"Traité de l'Anatomie de l'Homme"
1866-1871
Description of the Work
"Traité de l'Anatomie", in folio sizes with over 726 hand-colored lithographed
plates (incorporating 3604 individual figures), is the most comprehensive, and
perhaps the most beautiful anatomical and surgical atlas
of the nineteenth century. It was published in parts over 23 years and
represented the life work of Bourgery, who died before completion. Some copies
were issued with the plates in black and white at half the price of the colored
copies. The black and white images lack much of the visual drama of the
hand-colored plates.
The artist who directed the massive program of prosection, and who was
responsible for 512 of the spectacular illustrations, was Nicholas-Henri Jacob
(1782-1871) a student of the neo-classical painter of the French Revolution,
Jacques-Louis David. Bourgery considered Jacob his full collaborator in the
project. The influence of the highly finished style of David is evident in the
plates for this work. Before embarking on this project Jacob had gained
considerable experience drawing on stone for lithographic publications. Jacob's
artistic collaborators on the project were his wife, Charlotte Hublier-Jacob,
Jean Baptiste Leveillé, Edmond Pochet, E. Roussin, and others. The physiologist
Claude Bernard did dissections and anatomical preparations for only two of the
images, and a few captions. Bernard played a somewhat greater editorial role in
the slightly expanded second edition of the work published from 1866 to 1871.
For both versions the precisely-detailed hand-coloring was done by an elaborate
system of stencils; otherwise the time involved in the intricate hand-coloring
all of the large plates might have made the edition impossible. The anatomical
images are still very useful and informative, and the surgical images are among
the best illustrations of nineteenth-century intruments and operations.
Until Roberts & Tomlinson published The Fabric of the Human Body in 1992 these works, with their obvious historical importance to our views of the interior of the human body, were for the most part ignored by historians.
The condition of these prints is very good, near brand new. There is no foxing, on white paper, that is in pristine conditions. "ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED ANATOMICAL AND SURGICAL TREATISES EVER PUBLISHED IN ANY LANGUAGE" (Heirs of Hippocrates 1569).
Each print measures approximately 10 5/8 inches wide - 18 7/8 inches long (32,0x43,0 cm).
Each plate is with the related descriptive text.
All our prints are authentic hand coloured antique prints, and the Bourgery’s are about 160 years old & in outstanding condition.
We describe all items as accurately as possible with any condition exceptions noted. Please use your judgement to confirm our accuracy and take into consideration that unless otherwise stated, these items are used. Please make careful decisions before bidding and email us with any questions.