[Chiromantia 1. Physionomia, ex aspectu membrorum hominis. 2. Periaxiomata de faciebus signorum. 3. Canones astrologici, de judiciis aegritudinum. 4. Astrologia naturalis. 5. Complexionum notitia, juxta dominium planetarum]. by [Indagine, Johannes de] - [1543].

8vo (16,5 x 11 cm). 110 [of 111], [1] ff. With many woodcuts in the text. Contemporary limp vellum with ties. Lacks title-page, waterstained throughout (mostly in the margins), sewing supports of upper board partly broken, the outer margins of the leaves of the first quires with burn mark.

An early edition of Indagine's extremely popular account of palm reading, physiognomy and several aspects of astrology, beautifully illustrated.

First published in 1522 the treatise was extremely influential, remaining in print until well into the 17th century, in spite of (or perhaps thanks to) the fact that it was placed on the catholic index of prohibited books. The woodcuts show palms, horoscopes, zodiac signs, facial features, and six lovely chariots carrying male and female figures representing the moon and the five planets.

Johannes de Indagine (ca. 1467-1537) was a German priest who sympathized with Lutheranism but remained loyal to Catholicism. As an astrologer he advised the electors of Mainz and Brandenburg but failed to fulfill his ambition of becoming court astrologer ot Charles V.

USTC 140795 (4 copies); for the author: NDB 10, pp. 168-169 [Online-Version].