A fabulous pair of hand coloured botanical prints from Hortus Eystettensis by Basilius Besler in 1613 featuring Opuntia (Prickly Pear) and Ficus Indica (Barbary Fig) in beautiful, ornate parcel-gilt frames. The Fincus Indica monogrammed in the plate ‘JL’ indicating the hand of Johannes Leypold a famous early 17th century engraver from Cologne.
Details
Basilius Besler (1561–1629) was an apothecary and botanist. He was curator of the Willibaldsburg Castle garden of Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, Prince Bishop of Eichstätt, in Bavaria, who supported Besler's academic and artistic creation and whose funds allowed the purchase of exotic plants from all over Europe. Besler spent 16 years producing drawings of 1084 varieties of plants and flowers in different seasons. These were then engraved on copper plates by master artists, resulting in the 367 beautiful and detailed engravings which comprise Besler's monumental florilegium Hortus Eystettensis, the first large-scale botanical publication.
Please note: Price does NOT include delivery costs.
