A critical biography of the early modern Italian naturalist.
The Bolognese naturalist Ulisse Aldrovandi was a prolific writer,
learned polymath, and prodigious collector who amassed the largest
collection of animal sex organs and illustrations in sixteenth-century
Europe. This book provides a concise yet comprehensive portrait of
Aldrovandi, paying particular attention to how the discovery of the New
World influenced his research into physiological abnormalities. Cutting
a cogent path through the latest research, Peter Mason sheds new light
on Aldrovandi's fascinating life, his early forays into natural history,
his network of correspondents and patrons, and his work's ongoing legacy
today.