Bernardini Telesii Consentini, Varii de naturalibus rebus libelli
A 1590 Latin natural philosophy treatise by Bernardino Telesio, printed in Venice by Felice Valgrisi, aimed at scholars studying physics. Its pages carry decorative woodcut initial letters, four of which are shown here, each a historiated or ornamental capital with figures, animals and foliage. A designer might borrow the interlaced strapwork, acanthus scrolls and framed letterforms as models for ornamental monograms and display capitals.
