Science Books: Gemmae Antiquae Litteratae; Espozione Anatomica della Struttura del Corpo Umano del Winslow, tradotto dal Franzese (...) tome 1 and 2 1757

These three science books were made by Francesco Ficoroni in the 18th century. They are bound in a material that invites touch: tanned leather. Consider the immense labor involved in their making. From the grazing animals whose hides became the covers to the artisans expertly tanning and preparing the leather. Its visual quality, a mottled surface bearing marks of age, speaks of a traditional, almost alchemical process. Each book was carefully hand-sewn. The paper within, likely made from pulped rags, would have been pressed and dried. The text meticulously typeset and printed, perhaps accompanied by hand-drawn illustrations. Binding would have been a highly skilled craft, passed down through generations. These volumes were precious objects. In their time, the knowledge they contained was a commodity, and the book itself a symbol of intellectual pursuit. By appreciating the making, we recognize the social and cultural value invested in these books, and challenge the separation of artistic and utilitarian realms.