Antique Dutch Botanical Study Engraving From Hortus Indicus Malabaricus

Description

This very rare and beautiful botanical engraving is from the "Hortus Indicus Malabaricus" - the Garden of Malabar, published by … more This very rare and beautiful botanical engraving is from the "Hortus Indicus Malabaricus" - the Garden of Malabar, published by Hendrik Adriaan van Rheede tot Draakstein in Amsterdam between 1678 and 1693. Rheede was at one time the Colonial Governor of Malabar in Southern India and an avid botanist. There were 12 folios of 791 hand-colored copper engravings produced. Each plate has the name of the plant written on it in Latin, Sanskrit, Arabic and Malabarese. I purchased these in Florence 15 years ago from Giovanni Baccani of "The Blue Door" in the Borgo Ognissanti. They are exquisite and quite rare. less