Frontispiece to the third part of Scheuchzer's Helveticus, sive itineris alpini (1708)
Date
1704
Creator
Anna Waser (1678, Swiss) , Painter
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Dimensions
height (page): 221mm
width (page): 165mm
width (page): 165mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Original drawing for the frontispiece to the third part of J. J. Scheuchzer's Helveticus, sive itineris alpini (1708). The plate was designated as having been sponsored by Isaac Newton and also indicated that Anna Wasera of Zurich had drawn it ('Anna Wasera Tigurina fecit'). The plate was engraved by Joseph Nutting ('Jos. Nutting sculpsit').
Johann Jacob Scheuchzer (1672-1733) was a Swiss scholar and physician, who was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1703. He was interested in natural history, fossil records and traces of the impact of the Biblical Flood. The Royal Society sponsored the publication of Scheuchzer's description of the Swiss Alps, [Ouresiphoitis] Helveticus, sive itineris alpini, with several Fellows offering subscriptions to defray the cost of the engravings. As was common practice, the printed illustrations bore the name of the subscriber at the bottom of the plate.
Johann Jacob Scheuchzer (1672-1733) was a Swiss scholar and physician, who was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1703. He was interested in natural history, fossil records and traces of the impact of the Biblical Flood. The Royal Society sponsored the publication of Scheuchzer's description of the Swiss Alps, [Ouresiphoitis] Helveticus, sive itineris alpini, with several Fellows offering subscriptions to defray the cost of the engravings. As was common practice, the printed illustrations bore the name of the subscriber at the bottom of the plate.
Transcription
In bottom Left Corner:
Anna Wasera Tigurina F[ecit].
In centre:
Inclytae Regiae Societati Anglicae
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Anna Wasera Tigurina F[ecit].
In centre:
Inclytae Regiae Societati Anglicae
Transcribed by the Making Visible project
Object history
Printed as the frontispiece to Part 3, subscribed by Isaac Newton, engraved by Jos. Nutting, from J. J. Scheuchzer, [Ouresiphoitis] Helveticus, sive itineris alpini (London, 1708). (First edition in three parts. A second edition with an additional fourth part was published in Leiden in 1723.)
30 November 1704, 'Dr Woodward presented from Dr Scheuchzer a second disquisition in a Journey to the Alps. Mr Waller, Dr Sloane, and Mr Petiver were desired to peruse this book and give an account of it to the Society. Upon which the Society would appoint a letter to be wrote to him encouraging the worke as it shall deserve. In the meane time the Secretary was ordered to write a Letter to Dr Aglionby to Dr Scheuzer thanking him for his present' (CMO/2/157).
14 March 1705, 'A letter was read from Dr Scheutzer for Mr Petiver, wherein he thanks the Society, and the Persons who perused his Iter Alpinum, and leaves the Society and Mr Pettiver what parts of it which they shall think fit. Mr Hunt was ordered to give Dr Scheutzer’s MS to Mr Pettiver, to be printed, as he shall judge meet' (JBO/11/67).
31 October 1705, 'Dr Woodward produced the 1st & 3rd Iter Alpinum of Dr Scheutchzer, which together with the 2d Mr Thorpe proposed to print, which was agreed to, provided he did not deface the Originals' (JBO/11/76).
14 April 1708, 'Mr Thorpe returned the 3 original mss of Dr Scheuzer’s Itinera Alpina, and presented the book printed to the society he was thanked for the pains he had taken to get it printed, and both mss & printed book were ordered to be put into the library and his effigies in a frame likewise to be presented to be hung up in the Meeting Room' (JBO/11/140).
30 November 1704, 'Dr Woodward presented from Dr Scheuchzer a second disquisition in a Journey to the Alps. Mr Waller, Dr Sloane, and Mr Petiver were desired to peruse this book and give an account of it to the Society. Upon which the Society would appoint a letter to be wrote to him encouraging the worke as it shall deserve. In the meane time the Secretary was ordered to write a Letter to Dr Aglionby to Dr Scheuzer thanking him for his present' (CMO/2/157).
14 March 1705, 'A letter was read from Dr Scheutzer for Mr Petiver, wherein he thanks the Society, and the Persons who perused his Iter Alpinum, and leaves the Society and Mr Pettiver what parts of it which they shall think fit. Mr Hunt was ordered to give Dr Scheutzer’s MS to Mr Pettiver, to be printed, as he shall judge meet' (JBO/11/67).
31 October 1705, 'Dr Woodward produced the 1st & 3rd Iter Alpinum of Dr Scheutchzer, which together with the 2d Mr Thorpe proposed to print, which was agreed to, provided he did not deface the Originals' (JBO/11/76).
14 April 1708, 'Mr Thorpe returned the 3 original mss of Dr Scheuzer’s Itinera Alpina, and presented the book printed to the society he was thanked for the pains he had taken to get it printed, and both mss & printed book were ordered to be put into the library and his effigies in a frame likewise to be presented to be hung up in the Meeting Room' (JBO/11/140).
Related fellows
Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (1672 - 1733, Swiss) , Physician
Associated place