Complete Record - Heirs of Hippocrates No. 919

ANGELIQUE MARGUERITE LEBOURSIER DU COUDRAY (1712-1789) Abrégé de l'art des accouchements. Chez Debure, père 1777 Nouvelle éd. xvi, 208 pp., 27 leaves of plates (26 col.), illus., port. 20 cm.

Le Boursier, a prominent Parisian midwife, first published the present work in 1759 without illustrations. The success of the book encouraged her to have later editions illustrated by Jean Robert (fl. 1746-1782). The 1769 edition was the first book on midwifery to appear with plates printed in multiple colors. Robert, a pupil of Le Blon, is known to have illustrated only three books and this was his most copiously illustrated book. The finely applied colors often appear to be hand-painted rather than printed.

Cited references: Cushing L108; Waller 5656; Wellcome II, p. 492

Gift of John Martin, M.D.