From the head of a fly to the teeth of a snail: Ten of Robert Hooke's Micrographia Diagrams
This article originally appeared on Culture24.
The National Library of Wales has very kindly released images from Robert Hooke's remarkable Micrographia Diagrams (1665) via Wikimedia Commons. Here are ten of our favourites
The front cover of Hooke's Micrographia © Public domain via National Library of WalesWith its fold out folios of bugs and insects – all rendered in minute detail on copper plate engravings - it caused a sensation. Samuel Pepys described it as “the most ingenious book that I ever read in my life."
And as well as opening up the microscopic world of insects and the potential of the new microscope it also expanded on some of the ideas of its polymath author whose interests ranged from astronomy, gravity and wave theory to evolution, horology and the origin of fossils.
Feast your eyes like it's 1666:
Head of a grey drone-fly
The Eyes and Head of a Grey drone-Fly© Public domain via National Library of WalesHooke flea
Schem. XXXIV - Of a Flea. An illustration of a flea thought to have been drawn by Sir Christopher Wren© Public domain via National Library of WalesA louse
Robert Hooke (1635-1703), Schem. XXXV - Of a Louse. Diagram of a louse© Public domain via National Library of Wales
Schem. XII - Of blue Mould and of the first Principles of Vegetation arising from Putrefaction of a Plant growing in the blighted or yellow specks of Damask-rose-leaves, Bramble-leaves, and some other kind of leaves.© Public domain via National Library of Wales
Schem. XV- Of the stinging points and juice of Nettles, and some other venomous Plants and Of the Beard of a wilde Oat, and the use that may be made of it for exhibiting always to the Eye the temperature of the Air, as to driness and moisture.© Public domain via National Library of Wales
Robert Hooke (1635-1703), Schem. XVIII - Of the Seeds of Tyme.© Public domain via National Library of Wales
Schem. XXIII - Of the Feet of Flies, and several other Insects. Of the Structure and motion of the Wings of Flies. Of the Eyes and Head of a Grey drone-Fly, and of several other creatures.© Public domain via National Library of Wales
Schem. XXV - 1. Of the Teeth of a Snail.© Public domain via National Library of Wales
Robert Hooke (1635-1703), Schem. XXXI - Of the Shepherd Spider, or long legg'd Spider.© Public domain via National Library of Wales- See all of the images at Wikimedia Commons
- Visit the National Library of Wales website at www.llgc.org.uk
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Go further:
Find out more about the Royal Society at https://royalsociety.org/
Read about Robert Hooke on the Science Museum website
Robert Hooke: The Man who k new everything on the Royal Museums Greenwich website
