Hortus Eystettensis, Sive Diligens et accurata omnium Plantarum, Florum, Stirpium, ex variis orbis terræ partibus, singulari studio collectarum quæ in celeberrimis viridariis arcem episcopalem ibidem cingentibus, hoc tempore conspiciuntus delineatio et ad vivum repræsentatio Operâ Basilii Besleri Philiatri et pharmacopoei. M.D C.XIII
Nuremberg, Germany: 1613. Notes: First Edition.
Title page for the monumental work by Basilius Besler (1561–1629).
Engraved title-page by Wolfgang Kilian.
The book was produced by Basilius Besler, a Nuremberg apothecary and botanist, in 1613 describing the plants of the garden of the Prince-Bishop of Eichstätt in Bavaria. The Renaissance style garden was located at the bishop's palace at the Willibaldsburg, overlooking the city of Eichstätt. It was the first botanical garden in Germany, and the only one outside of Italy. The bishop had brought plants from all over the world for his garden, and it was thought that it contained examples of all of the shrubs and flowering plants known to horticulturalists at the time.
The work generally reflected the four seasons, showing first the flowering and then the fruiting stages. "Winter" was sparsely represented with a mere 7 plates. "Spring" was a season of abundance with 134 plates illustrating 454 plants and "Summer" in full swing showed 505 plants on 184 plates. "Autumn" closed off the work with 42 plates and 98 species. Descriptions of the plants were in Latin and showed remarkable anticipation of the binomial system. The work was published twice more in Nuremberg, in 1640 and 1713., Size : 506x408 (mm), 19.92x16.06 (Inches), Coloring: Black & White, Category: Maps Misc (Curiosities, Title Pages, Games, etc.);. Very Good. Item #M11208
Price: $750.00