Title page of Anatome plantarum
Date
1674
Creator
Unknown, Artist
Object type
Archive reference number
Manuscript page number
p98r
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 318mm
width (page): 225mm
width (page): 225mm
Subject
Content object
Description
An allegorical scene showing five cherubs adorning three leopard-like cats with floral wreaths, and two perched in the branches of a tree above.
Original artwork for the frontispiece to Marcello Malpighi’s Anatome Plantarum (1675) from MS/103/1, the Malpighi collection. Later engraved for publication by Robert White (1645-1703).
Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694), Italian biologist and physician, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1669.
Original artwork for the frontispiece to Marcello Malpighi’s Anatome Plantarum (1675) from MS/103/1, the Malpighi collection. Later engraved for publication by Robert White (1645-1703).
Marcello Malpighi (1628-1694), Italian biologist and physician, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1669.
Object history
Marcello Malpighi’s research on the anatomy of plants was encouraged and supported by the Royal Society, as evidenced by correspondence between him and the then-Secretary, Henry Oldenburg FRS (1619-1677) in the 1660s and 1670s [MS/103/1].
An abstracted version of his work in this area was first read at a Society meeting on 7 December 1671 [JBO/4, pp.216-217]. The full manuscript of Anatome Plantarum, together with the frontispiece artwork and plates, was received and read on 28 January 1674/75 [MS/103/1-2]. In a letter of 20 August 1674 [MS/103/1/20] Malpighi relays that this frontispiece was made by an artist friend of his in dedication to the Royal Society. It is unknown who this artist was.
It was ordered for printing by the Society’s printer John Martin in June 1675 [CMO/1/221]. The published work consists of the text of Anatome Plantarum and De ovo incubato as an appendix, and 61 plates illustrating each [54 and 7 respectively].
An abstracted version of his work in this area was first read at a Society meeting on 7 December 1671 [JBO/4, pp.216-217]. The full manuscript of Anatome Plantarum, together with the frontispiece artwork and plates, was received and read on 28 January 1674/75 [MS/103/1-2]. In a letter of 20 August 1674 [MS/103/1/20] Malpighi relays that this frontispiece was made by an artist friend of his in dedication to the Royal Society. It is unknown who this artist was.
It was ordered for printing by the Society’s printer John Martin in June 1675 [CMO/1/221]. The published work consists of the text of Anatome Plantarum and De ovo incubato as an appendix, and 61 plates illustrating each [54 and 7 respectively].
Related fellows
Marcello Malpighi (1628 - 1694, Italian) , Physician
Associated place
