The frontispiece depicts a variety of optical phenomena: Reflection. Refraction. Perspective. The rainbow. Burning mirrors.
Ibn al-Haytham (11th century), known in Latin Europe as Alhazen, made significant contributions to both astronomy and optics. His experimental work in optics built upon the foundation laid by Apollonius and Ptolemy and provided a basis for later investigations in optics by Witelo and Kepler, until the invention of the telescope in the early 17th century. This work is the famous Risner edition of Alhazen’s optics, which also contains the optical treatise of Witelo.