Credit: © The Royal Society
Image number: RS.1871
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Hooke's microscope
Date
1665
Creator
Unknown, Engraver
After
Robert Hooke (1635 - 1703, British) , Natural Philosopher
Object type
Image reference
Library reference
RCN 45230
Material
Technique
Dimensions
height (print): 330mm
width (print): 210mm
width (print): 210mm
Subject
Content object
Description
Sectional view of Robert Hooke’s microscope [bottom right], oil lamp and water flask [bottom left]. The microscope is made of wood, with the barrel covered in a patterned leather. The oil lamp is lit, generating a light intended to illuminate his specimens. Three details of his lens-grinding machine are presented above.
Inscribed above: ‘Schem. 1’
Plate 1 from Robert Hooke’s Micrographia: or some physiological descriptions of minute bodies made by magnifying glasses with observations and inquiries thereupon (1665), the first fully-illustrated book on the topic of microscopy. In the preface Hooke asserts that he had discovered ‘a new visible World’.
Robert Hooke (1635-1703) British natural philosopher was a founding member of the Royal Society, elected in 1663. Before his career with the Royal Society, Hooke had been apprenticed to painter Peter Lely (1618-1680), where he learned to draw and paint. Though he did not engrave the images in Micrographia himself they were engraved after his illustrations.
Inscribed above: ‘Schem. 1’
Plate 1 from Robert Hooke’s Micrographia: or some physiological descriptions of minute bodies made by magnifying glasses with observations and inquiries thereupon (1665), the first fully-illustrated book on the topic of microscopy. In the preface Hooke asserts that he had discovered ‘a new visible World’.
Robert Hooke (1635-1703) British natural philosopher was a founding member of the Royal Society, elected in 1663. Before his career with the Royal Society, Hooke had been apprenticed to painter Peter Lely (1618-1680), where he learned to draw and paint. Though he did not engrave the images in Micrographia himself they were engraved after his illustrations.
Associated place