LIZARS, JOHN. 1792-1860.


A System of Anatomical Plates of the Human Body. Edinburgh: W.H. Lizars, 1822-26. 3 volumes. Folio atlas (438 x 269 mm) and two 8vo text volumes (213 x 130 mm). Engraved title and 101 hand-colored plates. Contemporary non-uniform half calf and marbled boards. Text volumes rubbed, corners bumped, light foxing; atlas with staining to marbled boards, dampstaining to first few leaves, not affecting plates.FIRST EDITION, ALL FIRST PRINTINGS of this impressive and highly successful collaboration between anatomist John Lizars and his brother William Home Lizars, a talented artist and head of the publishing and engraving firm established by the brothers' father, Daniel Lizars (1754-1812). John Lizars studied under John Bell and later became a partner in Bell's anatomy school. The partnership with Bell was eventually dissolved but Lizars continued to teach on his own, and also maintained a private surgical practice. In 1825 Lizars became the first surgeon in Britain to perform an ovariotomy (see Garrison-Morton 6026), and in 1831 he was appointed professor of surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh. Lizars's System of Anatomical Plates was by far his most successful work, going through many editions; "the sale of the book in its various forms was reported to be immense" (Roberts & Tomlinson p 505). The first edition of the folio atlas illustrating Lizars's System was issued in both uncolored and hand-colored versions, although the 15 plates devoted to the brain and spinal cord are colored in all copies of the first edition. All first editions of this work are rare, and because the plates were issued in folio, and the text of the first edition was issued in 12 parts in octavo, most often the first edition of the atlas is not found with the text. W.H. Lizars's fame as engraver led John James Audubon to engage him to engrave the plates for the elephant folio Birds of America; however, after Lizars had engraved the first ten plates, he recommended to Audubon that this enormous project (requiring over 76,000 elephant folio hand-colored plates for the 175 copies in the edition) be turned over to Robert Havell in London. Lizars's atlas for his brother's System of Anatomical Plates represents the highest quality of artistic production available in Scotland at the time. Cushing L313; Roberts & Tomlinson, The Fabric of the Body, pp 504-8; Waller 5950; Wellcome III, p 531.