Mattioli, Pietro Andrea

1500-1577

[Commentarii in libros sex Pedacii Dioscoridis. . .de materia medica. Latin]

Petri Andrea Matthioli. . .Commentarii in sex libros Pedacci Dioscordis Anazarbei De medica materia: iam denuo ab ipso autore recogniti, et locis plus mille aucti: adiectis magnis, ac nouis plantarum, ac animalium iconibus supra priores editiones longe pluribus, ad uiuum delineatis: accesserunt quoque ad margines Graeci contextus quam plurimi ex antiquissimis codicibus desumpti, qui Dioscorideis ipsius deprauatum lectionem restituunt: cum locupletissimis indicibus tum ad rem herbariam, tum medicamentariam pertinentibus. . .

Venetiis: Ex Officina Valgrisiana, 1565. Woodcuts by Giorgio Librale and Wolfgang Meyerpeck. First enlarged ed.--Cf. Hunt 94. Colophon: Venetiis apud Vincentium Valgrisium. M. D. LXV. References: Pritzel (2nd) 5985; Hunt 94; Johnston, S. H. Cleveland coll. 93. Includes index.

Mattioli was one of the most famous herbalists of the 16th century and was responsible for incorporating many New World plants into botanical knowledge. The vivid woodcuts by Wolfgang Meyerspeck or Giorgio Liberale are impressive even by today's standards. Mattioli studied in Venice and Padua, becoming a doctor like his father. He was recognized by the court for his learned writings, and in 1555, after the publication of his book, he was called to be the personal physician to the Archduke Maximilian in Prague. His commentary on Dioscorides' works was first printed in 1544 without illustrations. This 1565 edition is the most complete and the one most valued for its comprehensiveness. Mattioli wrote several other botanical and medical works, but this is considered his most important.

Subjects: Botany; Medicine; Medicinal plants.

PAT-136


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