Tulipa Serotina Polyanthos

One of an extremely rare collection of botanicals from Basilius Besler’s Hortus Eystettensis. Besler was a Nuremburg apothecary in charge of the elaborate garden of the Bishop Prince of Eisenstatt. The plates, illustrating more than a thousand flowers were arranged according to the seasons.When the book was published in 1613, it was the largest book ever printed, and the coloured versions of the prints sold for ten times the price of those sold in black and white. The seventeenth century colouring of our prints have a very interesting pedigree. They have been examined at length by Nicholas Barker, who concluded, ‘I believe these plates to come from a copy coloured according the original exemplar (that is, before the use of written instructions), probably before the middle of the 17th century.’ A fuller copy of Nicolas Barker’s report is available upon request.

Excellent condition. Large margins. Text on reverse.