Magia naturalis

Magia naturalis, or "Natural Magic," is a significant work by Giambattista della Porta, an Italian natural philosopher. Published in its expanded form in 1589, the book explores the wonders of the natural world, proposing that these phenomena are governed by rational principles that can be understood and manipulated through theory and experimentation.1

Della Porta's work touches on various subjects, including optics, magnetism, and the camera obscura, for which he was a pioneer in lens usage. While Magia naturalis aimed to uncover the rational order of nature, della Porta's fascination with magic and the miraculous sometimes overshadowed his scientific pursuits. The concept of magic itself has a long and varied history, with its understanding evolving across different cultures and time periods.12