SCHEUCHZER, Johann Jakob (1672-1733). Kupfer-Bibel, in welcher Die Physica Sacra, oder geheiligte Natur-Wissenschaft der in der Heil. Augsburg & Ulm: Christian Ulrich Wagner, 1731-1735.

A large, fine copy of the first edition of Scheuchzer’s lavishly illustrated work, analyzing the events in the Bible through the lens of physics, medicine, and natural history. “In Scheuchzer’s gigantic work, Physica Sacra, the Baroque attains, philosophically as well as artistically, its high point and its conclusion. It is the last of those elegant works which do not really contain illustrations to a text but which are, in effect, composed of splendid plates with a text to accompany them. The best engravers of the time took part ... and made the whole splendor of Baroque chalcography appear once more” (Faber du Faur).

This multivolume work by the prolific Swiss physician and historian Johann Scheuchzer seeks to provide a scientific explanation of Biblical history, including the Creation, the Deluge, various miracles, a taxonomy of all the plants and animals mentioned, etc. The first volume contains a 36-page Verzeichnis der Auctorum and Verzeichnis der Künstler citing hundreds of authors and works consulted by Scheuchzer, and an enumeration of the various artists who worked on the plates, with short biographies. Nissen ZBI 3659; Faber du Faur 1855.

Four volumes, folio (393 x 248mm). Titles in each volume, text pages 121-22 in uncancelled state. Engraved frontispiece and 2 mezzotint portraits; 760 plates on 758 leaves, five of which are double-page, rainbow plate partially hand-colored as issued (occasional marginal foxing to plates, minor dampstains in the gutter of vol. 3, plates DXVIII, DCCXV, and DCCXVI sprung; some browning to text, mostly in vol. 4). Contemporary German vellum. Provenance: Eduard Hoffman (bookplate).