Astronomical Handbook of 1718

Johann Leonhard Rost (1688-1727) published the first practical astronomy text in Germany in 1718. It might also be described as the first ever German book devoted to astronomy, as the (very few) earlier works were either translations or simply chapters in larger publications.

Rost obtained a clandestine income from writing romance novels under a pseudonym (Meletaon) and studied his beloved astronomy in Altdorf, Leipzig and Jena. He was to become an assistant at the observatory in his birth town of Nuremberg, initially under its founder, Georg Eimmart, and later under Johann von Wurzelbau; but Rost made significant astronomical observations of his own and many of his findings appeared in scientific publications.

'Astronomisches Handbuch' from 1718 is online at Wolfenbütteler Digitale Bibliothek. The bulk of the illustrations appear above and they mostly pertain to the art of selenography (moon mapping) - I believe Rost's most significant observations related to solar and lunar appearances during eclipses and with the effects of the Northern Lights.

The coloured dual-image above comes from Rost's other main astronomical book, 'Atlas Portatilis Coelestis' (1723), available from the Linda Hall Library of Science, Engineering & Technology. The zodiac plates are based on the constellation arrangements of Johannes Hevelius (who was, incidentally, also the 'father' of moon mapping).

• There is a long biography of Rost (in German) at Pierre Marteau's Publishing House in Cologne (resources section). [translation]
• A shorter biography at the Astronomie in Nürnberg portal [translation]
• Johann Rost has a moon crater named after him (looks more like a series of them): the-moon wikispaces/map/photo.

Knight Attire

Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1814-1879) was an influential French architect, particularly noted for his central role in the Gothic Revival* movement. In the aftermath of the French Revolution, he carried out a number of significant restoration projects on prominent buildings, including Notre Dame.

In addition to his practical work, Viollet-le-Duc taught art history at L'École des Beaux-Arts and published several renowned works that had considerable impact on the Art Nouveau movement by inspiring Gaudi and Horta, among others.

Chief among his writings were 'Dictionnaire Raisonné de L’Architecture' (Dictionary of Architecture), from 1854, and the wider ranging series, from which the above images were taken, 'Dictionnaire Raisonné du Mobilier Français de L'Époque Carlovingienne à la Renaissance' (Dictionary of French Furniture from the Carolingian era to the Renaissance).

The furniture series - which obviously goes far beyond furniture - consisted of 12 volumes and its publication began in 1858. The first six volumes are available online. The first two volumes feature domestic and religious tools and furniture as well as ornamental motifs in building and objets d'art. Volumes II + III are approximately devoted to costumes. The last two books relate to armour and weapons, essentially.

The illustrations are more along the lines of technical drawings rather than artistic pieces, per se; but it's definitely worth skimming through them all. There is some interesting and quirky material depicted. I imagine this series would be a useful authority for clothing and decor accuracy in period illustration work, re-enactments, craft or dressmaking and the like.

The series is online at the University of Heidelberg: Volume I «» Volume II «» Volume III «» Volume IV «» Volume V «» Volume VI.
(note: click anything below 'Inhalt' and then the '-' sign at the top of the page to get thumbnail images)

Information about Eugène Emmanuel Viollet-le-Duc: one, two, three, four.

Kitab al-Bulhan

The 'Kitab al-Bulhan' (Book of Wonders) [MS. Bodl. Or. 133] manuscript is a collection of Arabic divinatory treatises produced in the late 14th century hosted by the Oxford Digital Library. (note the thumbnails button up top once you click through into the manuscript proper)

There are approximately 80 illustrations among the astrological, astronomical and geomantic texts in the ~180pp manuscript. Many of the pages without illustrations have patterned arrangements of the text.

"Contents:
1. fols. 1a-80b, Kitab al-Bulhan / Isfahani, including:
--fols. 2b-25a, Kitab al-Mawalid, Book of Nativities,
--fols. 28a-33a a catalogue of demons,
--fols. 33b-43b, 45b-46b, Marvellous stories (of the prophet Muhammad),
--fols. 44a-45b, 47a-49b, The seasons and the climates.
2. Fol. 81a, page in Turkish.
3. fols. 81b-93b, paintings of the constellations of the zodiac
4. fols. 94a-130a, al-Durar wa-l-yawaqit fi ilm al-rasd wa-l-mawaqit, Astronomical tract / Abu al-Abbas Ahmad bin Abi Abd Allah Muhammad
5. fols. 131-163, Kitab al-Fal (Treatise on kur'ah / Ja'far al-Sadik
6. Fols. 163b-169a, al-Kurat al-mubarakah / Irbili
7. fols. 170a-173b, Alphabetic divination
8. fols. 174a-176a, Treatise on the zodiac"

Some of the zodiac illustrations are very similar to those seen in a BNF manuscript from a little later (Persian Zodiac) - no doubt both were derived from the same 9th century Persian astrology work by Abû Ma'shar.

All of the above images (and a few more) were uploaded to Wikimedia. [previously]