Brisbane, Anatomy of Painting, 1769
The Anatomy of Painting: Or a Short and Easy Introduction to Anatomy: Being a New Edition, on a Small Scale, of Six Tables of Albinus, with Their Linear Figures: Also, a New Translation of Albinus’s History of That Work, and of His Index to the Six Tables: To Which are Added the Anatomy of Celsus, With Notes, and the Physiology of Cicero: With an Introduction, Giving a Short View of Picturesque Anatomy. By John Brisbane, M. D. London: Printed by George Scott, And Sold by T. Cadell Bookseller, Successor to Mr. Millar, in the Strand. MDCCLXIX. (1769)
Folio in half brown leather with brown cloth over boards. Leather scuffed, with damage to head and foot of spine. Corners bumped and split. Cloth has some stains and ripples. Prior dealer’s notes penciled on ffep and front blank. Plates toned (as usual, it seems). Red page edges. Text leaves mostly still bright, though some with some smudges and foxing. First two leaves following title page are bound in out of order. Binding tight.
Ffep, blank, title, 22 pages of prelims, 58 numbered pages of explanatory text for the six engraved plates (each with an accompanying diagrammatic plate), pages 59 – 76 are the translations of supplemental works, blank, and rfep.
Heirs 839: “John Brisbane, a physician, states in the preface that while he thinks the proper way to learn human anatomy is to dissect the human body, dissection is overdone in medical schools. He believed that much could be taught to both physicians and artists by using accurately drawn printed illustrations. As models he selected Albinus, selections on anatomy from Celsus' De medicina (see No. 19 ff.), and Cicero's description of human organization in De natura deorum. From Albinus' Tabulae sceleti et musculorum corporis humani Brisbane has copied in reduced size three skeletons and three "muscle men," each accompanied by a duplicate outline plate with explanatory letterpress. Also included are a chapter by Brisbane on artistic anatomy, an English translation of the preface of Albinus' Tabulae sceleti et musculorum corporis humani, an explanation of the plates, and translations from Celsus and Cicero. The well-executed drawings were done by Brisbane and engraved by Peter Paul Benazech (b. 1774) and James Caldwell (b. 1739).”
