Antonio Vallisneri
Nature and Curiosity
Bronze, 86.4 mm Ø
By Antonio Selvi, 1713.
Obverse: Bust of Antonio Vallisnieri facing right, wearing long curly wig and draped cloak. Around, ANTONIVS · VALLISNERIVS · PVB · PRI · PAT · PRO . Under truncation, 1713 · .
Reverse: Nature standing, at right, near table at which Curiosity sits, at left, containing insects, seeds, and fruits. Behind, arches and the arms of the Vallisnieri family on a pillar. At the sides and middle, various animals. Around, TANTVM · IN · MODICIS · QUANTVM · IN · MAXIMIS . In exergue, A · SELVI · F ·
Antonio Vallisneri was born in 1661 in Trassilico. A physician and naturalist, Vallisneri became professor of medicine and natural history at the University of Padua in 1700. He was a member of the Accademia dei Curiosi della Natura and performed research on insect reproduction. His discoveries were gathered in a work, Osservazioni e dissertazioni sulla fisica, la medicina e la stora naturale, which was published posthumously by his son in 1733. Vallisneri died in 1730 in Padua.
Provenance:
Fritz Rudolf Künker 282, 28 September 2016, lot 4533 (Luc Smolderen collection).
References:
Vannel and Toderi 1987, no. 142