The Principles of Statics

An oval medallion, stamped in gold, sits at the center of this dark brown leather book cover. Inside the medallion is a quatrefoil—a four-lobed decorative shape—filled with intricate, symmetrical patterns of scrolling foliage called arabesques. A double-lined gold-tooled border frames the entire cover, showcasing the high quality of sixteenth-century bookbinding associated with the Plantijn publishing house.

Key terms: The year, 1586, leather binding, gold-stamped, quatrefoil, arabesque