In-folio, 112 + [3] ff, gothic script in 2 columns, beautiful woodcut initials, old manuscript annotations. Ill. with several woodcut diagrams in text (2 half page and 6 smaller ones). Woodcut printer's device at the end. Index is bound at the end. 17th c. (?) half calf binding, with blindtooling, wooden boards, 4 clamp clasps, vellum pastedowns
Gaietanus's commentary on Aristotle's 'De anima' has been called the first book of scientific psychology. It was read by medical students to understand how a creature could be defined as 'living' or 'having a soul', the nature and kinds of soul (rational, animal, vegetative etc.), the senses and the concept of sensation, the intellect, and movement according to the number of senses possessed. ISTC dates this to 23 December 1493, following the colophon date 'decimo kal. Januarias 1493', GW suggests 1492. This depends on the reference system, the date in 1493 according to the Julian or 1492 according to the Gregorian calendar. Ref. Hain/Copinger 15504 ; Goff G-27 ; Polain 4374(1525C) ; Sander 2991 ; GW M45954. Ref. Elly Cockx-Indestege, Classica et humanistica: een Belgische incunabelcollectie uit de twintigste eeuw, nr. 46. In: De Gulden Passer, 2003
