The Elder Pliney's Chapters on the History of Art

By: Translated by K. Jex-Blake

In 77-79 AD, an encyclopedia prototype consisting of 36 books was complied and published by Pliny the Elder. A naturalist, philosopher, and commander in the Roman Empire, he wrote in his Preface of Historia Naturalis that these books contained "twenty thousand matters worthy of attention," and were compiled from approximately 2,000 books available to him. Within this codex resides the natural sciences, including the subjects of sculpture, gem work, and painting appearing under the rubric of minerals and earthly elements. It is these latter 3 topics that encompass the text, The Elder Pliny's Chapters on the History of Art , translated from Latin by K. Jex-Blake in 1896.

• ISBN-13: 9781598381573

• Page Count: 356

• Book Height: 9 x Width: 1.0625 x Length: 6 inches