The Rare Books of Abecedarium

Cover of the ABECEDARIUM book showing a dozen illustrated letters

Part history, part coloring book, and part guide to historic books, the Smithsonian Libraries’ Abecedarium: An Adult Coloring Book for Bibliophiles is a contemplative and inspiring way to experience art, science, and culture from the Renaissance through early modern times. Where possible, the rare books featured in Abecedarium were digitized cover-to-cover and are collected here for you to explore!

The Smithsonian Libraries is extremely grateful to all those who have supported this project, and especially to Mark Andrews for his deep and continued generosity.

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Cover of Gothic alphabets

Gothic alphabets

Springer, Jaro; International Chalcographical Society.
International Chalcographical Society
1897
Cover of Initia doctrinae physicae

Initia doctrinae physicae

Melanchthon, Philipp
Iohannes Rhamba excudebat
1563
Cover of Isidori Iunioris Hispalensis Episcopi Epistola

Isidori Iunioris Hispalensis Episcopi Epistola

Isidore, of Seville, Saint
Per Gintherum Zainer ex Reutlingen progenitum literis impressi ahenis
1472, 19 die mensis Noue[m]bris
Cover of L'vniversale fabrica del mondo

L'vniversale fabrica del mondo

Anania, Giovanni Lorenzo d'
Appresso A. Muschio
1596
Cover of La pittvra

La pittvra

Alberti, Leon Battista; Domenichi, Lodovico
Appresso Gabriel Giolito de Ferrari
1547
Cover of La prospettiva di Euclide

La prospettiva di Euclide

Euclid; Heliodorus, of Larissa; Danti, Ignazio
Nella stamperia de'Giunti
1573
Cover of Les secrets du S. Alexis Piemontois

Les secrets du S. Alexis Piemontois

Ruscelli, Girolamo
De l'Imprimerie de Christophle Plantin
1559
Cover of Les œuvres mathematiques de Simon Stevin de Bruges

Les œuvres mathematiques de Simon Stevin de Bruges

Stevin, Simon; Maurits, prince of Orange, stadholder of the Netherlands; Girard, Albert; Diophantus, of Alexandria
Chez B. & A. Elsevier, imprimeurs
1634
Cover of Leviathan

Leviathan

Hobbes, Thomas
Printed for A. Crooke
1651
Cover of Liber der arte distulandi simplicia et composita

Liber der arte distulandi simplicia et composita

Brunschwig, Hieronymus; Adelphus, Johannes; Ficino, Marsilio; Konrad, of Strassburg
Vo[n] Johan Grüniger
Im iar [1509]
Cover of Liber moralitatum elegantissimus magnarum reru[m] naturalium Lumen anime dict[us]

Liber moralitatum elegantissimus magnarum reru[m] naturalium Lumen anime dict[us]

Bérenger, de Landorre, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela; Farinator, Matthias
Printer of the 1481 'Legenda Aurea'
22 March 1482]
Cover of Liber moralitatum elegantissimus magnaru[m] rerum naturalium Lumen anime dictus

Liber moralitatum elegantissimus magnaru[m] rerum naturalium Lumen anime dictus

Farinator, Matthias; Bérenger, de Landorre, Archbishop of Santiago de Compostela
Günther Zainer
31 Dec. 1477]
Cover of Mel­oires pour servir al l'histoire des plantes

Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire des plantes

Dodart, Denis; Imprimerie royale (France),; Académie royale des sciences (France)

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