WOODWARD’S HEADSTAND Büttner was a passionate collector of books. Many of his colleagues would borrow books from his library – the slip enclosed in two volumes is a library ticket belonging to the anatomist and natural scientist Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752-1840). While all volumes have been neatly arranged, the book by the natural scientist John Woodward (1665- 1728) is upside down. Büttner obviously did not agree with Woodward’s statements, which advocated for the biblical story of creation. Büttner’s intention was to turn Woodward over on his head, so to speak, and to provide an empirical explanation for creation.

AN ESSAY TOWARDS THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE EARTH, John Woodward, London 1702, State and University Library of Göttingen