Antique Print of the Dudaim Melon by Corvinus (1731)

Description: Antique print, titled: 'Dudaim, Melo, Pepo, Luffah.' - This original antique print shows the Dudaim Melon (Cucumis melo var. dudaim). This fine print originates from: 'Physica Sacra' by Johann Jakob Scheuchzer. Scheuchzer believed that the Old Testament was a factual account of the history, of the world. He initiated a major project to explain Biblical events in terms of physics, medicine, and natural history. His aim was to prove the existence of God through science, but the Swiss authorities initially refused to grant him a permit to publish it. Eventually a lushly illustrated edition of this extraordinary work was printed between 1731 and 1735 in the important German publishing center Augsburg. Entitled 'Jobi physica sacra oder Hiobs Natur-Wissenschaft verglichen mit der heutigen', the work became known as the Physica Sacra or the Kupfer-Bibel. It became famous for its elaborate baroque illustrations, in which each biblical story was framed with an architectural border containing details relevant to the chapter depicted. The plates were engraved by the best engravers of its time incl. Sperling, Corvinus, Friedrich, Heumann, Sedlezky, Tyroff.

Artists and Engravers: Made by 'J. A. Corvinus' after 'Johann Jakob Scheuchzer'. Johann Jakob Scheuchzer (Zurich; 1672-1733) was a Swiss scholar.