BARTH, Josef.

Wien [Vienna]: bey Anton Gassler Buchhändler, .1786

Folio, 1 leaf (half-title), xx pages, 49 unnumbered leaves, and 38 engraved anatomical plates in 3 numbered series + 7 outline plates. Also 16 engravings (all half-page or less) on text pages but part of the numbered series. Contemporary Austrian(?) mottled sheep, spine gilt, patterned endpapers, red edges. Tips of corners a bit worn, spine slightly chipped, some very mild foxing, but an excellent copy.

FIRST EDITION. A scarce and well illustrated atlas of the muscular system, with a total of 54 numbered engravings and 7 outline plates, all with multiple figures, and each accompanied by detailed explanations. The engravings, by K. Ponheimer of Vienna (but only the first is signed), are extremely finely done. Barth (1745–1818), born in Malta, became professor of anatomy and ophthalmology at Vienna in 1773 and oculist to Emperor Josef II in 1776. He was an anatomist of great renown who was instrumental in the foundation of the first anatomical theatre and museum in Vienna. From his personal collections, Choulant, who had access to his estate, obtained some rare Vesalian prints (see Choulant/Frank p. 197; not citing the present work, however).

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