Cowper, William

Folio (512 x 355 mm), engraved frontispiece, title printed in black and red with vignette, 114 (of 115) engraved plates showing anatomical figures (105 by Govert Bidloo, 9 by Cowper, 3 folding) accompanied by descriptive letterpress text; some minor marginal soiling with a few stains, minor offsetting to some plates, but overall a very clean copy. Contemporary calf gilt, rebacked with original spine laid-down, spine label reads "Anatomii de Bibloo"; extremities somewhat rubbed, corners bumped. 

Louis Lepecq de la Clôture (French doctor and author, 1736-1804, inscription on fly-leaf) — Dr. Jules Tinel (French neurologist, 1978-1952, bookplate) — A. Bernardes de Oliveira (bookplate) 

Garrison-Morton 385.1; Heirs of Hippocrates 723.9; Russell 213; Welcome II, 401

Folio (20 3/8 x 14 in.; 512 x 355), engraved frontispiece, title printed in black and red with vignette, 114 (of 115) engraved plates showing anatomical figures (105 by Govert Bidloo, 9 by Cowper, 3 folding) accompanied by descriptive letterpress text. Some minor marginal soiling with a few stains, minor offsetting to some plates, but overall a very clean copy; contemporary calf gilt, skilfully rebacked with original spine preserved, label to spine that reads "Anatomii de Bibloo", extremities somewhat rubbed, corners bumped.
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FIRST EDITION IN LATIN OF "THE LARGEST IN FORMAT, AND MOST ELABORATE AND BEAUTIFUL OF ALL 17TH CENTURY ENGLISH TREATISES ON ANATOMY"

ONE OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY PLAGIARISMS IN THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF MEDICINE. Cowper purchased sets of the copperplates used to illustrate [Govard] Bidloo's book [Anatomia humani corporis, 1685] ... apparently without Bidloo's permission, and issued them under his own name with an improved text in English (and later, Latin), and a new illustrated appendix. For the frontispiece Cowper had a small printed flap with his own name pasted over Bidloo's own engraved title and name" (G-M). In spite of this blatant plagiarism, Cowper's text showed "a great deal of original research and fresh new insights" (Heirs of Hippocrates). The nine new plates that Cowper commissioned, drawn by Cooke and engraved by van der Gucht, include front and back views of the entire musculature. The engraver of the Lairesse plates is not mentioned in Bidloo's work except on the bust portrait of Bidloo which is signed A. Blooteling sculp. According to Haller the engravings are by Van Gunst, and Moehsen identifies the brothers Peter and Philip Van Gunst (see Choulant p 250). Whomever the engraver, the illustrations are considered masterpieces of Dutch baroque art.