Illustrirtes Familienbuch zur Unterhaltung & Belehrung häuslicher Kreise, V Band (page 1/3)

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Isaak Newton [Portrait of Sir Isaac Newton]

A portrait of Isaac Newton based on a painting by Enoch Seeman (credited here in its German form, E. Seemann). It was engraved by someone named only as Baumann, [...] [more...] [$]

Johannes Kepler (1571‒1630)

Kepler is portrayed in this detailed black and white engraving as a man with black hair brushed back, a receding hairline, and a black beard perhaps starting to grey. He wears a collar with lace edges. [more...] [$]

Faith and Devotion

We see a nun, hooded and with a long robe, at the foot of a grand spiral staircase, perhaps in an abbey or cathedral. She holds a rosary, a string of beads with a cross on it, in one hand, and her other arm is stretched out as if she is about to dip it into a bowl that’s half-way up the wall in an arched doorway.

Through the entrance we see a tall candle and a crucifix, and perhaps a prayer stool.

The caption is Frömmigkeil Pielà, which is a German phrase combining religious piety (the first word) and devotion (the second).

The impression in the book has remains of plate-wash: the areas between the lines of the engraving are grey, darker than the paper, except in the highlighted areas. This was (and remains) a relatively labour-intensive technique, requiring applying a thin layer of ink [more...] [$]

Paddle steamer on stormy seas

This vignette, with irregular sides, is engraved on the title page. It shows a steam-powered paddle-boat that’s also fitted with masts for sails, funnel belching smoke, with a amaller sailing boat in the foreground. The paddle steamer is listing heavily, so the boat in the foreground could be a lifeboat. In the background [...] [more...] [$]

The Importunate Visitor

Der Zudringliche – L’mportuno [more...] [$]