|
Plantaginaceae -
Plantago coronopus - Coronopus From: A curious herbal by Elizabeth Blackwell. London, 1737-1739, (plate 460). Hand-coloured engraving (sheet 257 x 427 mm; impression 197 x 300 mm). Captions of text enclosed. € 100
Elizabeth Blackwell undertook the publication of her
herbal at the suggestion of Sir Hans Sloane in order to ransom her husband out
of debtors’ prison. She took lodgings near the Chelsea Physic Garden where she
drew and engraved the plants growing there. Although she succeeded in freeing
her husband by the commercial success of her book, he was later beheaded for his
part in a political assassination plot. Mrs Blackwell’s volumes were undertaken
at a time when colored botanical illustrations were rare; and her
representations were rightly commended in their time. Now her draughtmanship
appears rather amateurish and uninspired; but her treatments are simple and
forthright and occasionally have a homely charm (Hunt). The herbal was
re-issued, in an enlarged form with re-engraved plates, by Dr. Trew of Nuremberg
from 1757-1773.* Pritzel 811; Dunthorne 42; Blunt pp. 136-137; Nissen BBI 168; Great flower books p. 50; Hunt 510; Henrey 452; Stafleu & Cowan 545. |
| HOME · INDEX FLOWER + FRUIT PRINTS · Plantaginaceae |