Ulisse Aldrovandi: Naturalist and Collector

(Hardback)

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Description

The Bolognese naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi was a prolific writer, polymath and prodigious collector who amassed the largest collection of naturalia in sixteenth-century Europe, as well as hundreds of coloured drawings detailing them. Many of these drawings found their way into his illustrated publications, most of which were published posthumously. This book provides a concise yet comprehensive portrait of Aldrovandi, paying particular attention to two aspects: the role that the newly discovered continent of America played in his research interests, and his study of abnormalities of physiological development in organisms. Peter Mason gives insight into Aldrovandi's fascinating life, his early work on antiquities, his natural history and other collecting activities, his network of correspondents and patrons, and the influence and legacy of his collection and publications.

Reviews

"All those with an interest in the emergent understanding of natural history in the sixteenth century will know something of Ulisse Aldrovandi, prolific collector, author and illustrator of a world in which new phenomena were revealed on a daily basis. Peter Mason presents a penetrating portrait of the man himself, extending his discussion to include Aldrovandi's all-important network of correspondents, his field practice and his attempts to order the natural world with the aid of his vast museum and archive. In this engaging, sympathetically written and densely illustrated volume, peppered with key passages abstracted into English (many for the first time) from Aldrovandi's publications and from his vast personal correspondence, the reader is presented with an astonishingly detailed picture not only of the working methods but of the social and the scholarly milieu inhabited by this highly original figure from the early history of natural science."--Arthur MacGregor, author of 'Company Curiosities: Nature, Culture and the East India Company, 1600-1874'

Author Bio

Peter Mason has written and lectured widely in the field of the history of art and visual culture, especially in relation to Latin America. His previous books include The Lives of Images (Reaktion Books, 2001) and Before Disenchantment: Images of Exotic Animals and Plants in the Early Modern World (Reaktion, 2009).