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an open book with a picture of a clock on itan open book with a drawing of a triangle and a line on itan open book with a drawing of a bird on ittwo old books sitting on top of each other on a white surface
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1577 - Physics – Optics
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Estimate €2,000 - €3,000
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Description
Physics – Optics Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von The Theory of Colours. 2 volumes. (With) Explanation of the plates accompanying Goethe’s Theory of Colours. With 17 (12 coloured) copperplate plates. In total: 2 volumes of text and 1 atlas volume. Tübingen, Cotta, 1810. XLVIII, 654 pp. XXVIII, 757 pp. 24 pp., 17 plates, 12 pp. 8° (text volumes) and 4°. Red contemporary half-leather and brown marbled paper. Contemporary half-leather binding (rubbed, bumped, leather stained). First complete edition of the text and a rare first printing of the plates. – Goedeke IV/3, 583, 46. – Kippenberg I, 386 and 387. – Hagen 347 and 347d. - Goethe’s most comprehensive and extensive work on the natural sciences, setting out the German poet’s views on the nature of colours and their perception by humans. It has its origins in Goethe’s engagement with painting and has exerted a significant influence on the arts in particular. - Part 1 describes experiments with the prism, from which he derived his scheme of primary colours. Part 2 contains Goethe’s critiques of Newton’s theory of colour. Finally, the historical Part 3 offers a wide-ranging outline of a general history of science. - The endpapers and titles of the text volumes are somewhat stained, some with foxing; the plates are partly creased at the corners; one plate has a tear in the upper white margin; otherwise, generally well preserved. Physics. – Optics. – First complete edition of the text and rare first printing of the plates. 3 vols., including 1 vol. with an explanation of the plates belonging to Goethe’s *Farbenlehre*, containing 17 (12 coloured) copper plates. Contemporary red half-leather and marbled half-cloth (rubbed, bumped, cloth stained). – Goethe’s most complete and comprehensive scientific work, setting out the German poet’s views on the nature of colours and their perception by humans. It has its origins in Goethe’s preoccupation with painting and has had a major influence on art. - Part 1 describes experiments with the prism, from which he derived his scheme of primary colours. Part 2 contains Goethe’s critiques of Newton’s theory of colour. Finally, the historical Part 3 provides a broad outline of the general history of science. - The half-titles and title pages of the text volumes show some spotting and occasional foxing; the corners of the plates are occasionally creased; one plate is torn in the upper white margin; otherwise, the volumes are in good overall condition.
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About the sale Valuable books, prints, historical photographs
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Auction time 10/24/2026 at 10:00 AM
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