CASTELLI, Benedetto (1578-1643) Alcuni opuscoli filosofici... - Bologna, Monti, 1669
4to. Recent half vellum. Engr. coat of arms of Cardinal Leopoldo de' Medici on title and some woodcuts in the text. (8), 79 pp.; minor light foxing.
Very rare first (and only) edition of a collection of essays by the most distinguished pupil and collaborator of Galileo, teacher of Torricelli and Borelli. The first (pp. 1-37) deals with all aspects of vision explaining the perception of movement and the cause of many optical illusions. It also deals with the camera obscura, the inversion of the image on the retina, the cataract, etc. Of particular interest are also two letters to Galileo (pp.47-79) about his experiments on transmission of heat. It is surprising that these important texts have never been reprinted. Riccardi I, 291. Gamba 1864. DSB II, 115.
Euro5800
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