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Amaryllidaceae - Narcissus
pseudonarcissus From: Flora batava by Jan Kops and others. Amsterdam, J.C. Sepp, 1822, volume 4, plate 246. Hand-coloured engraving (uncut, unpressed sheet 243 x 300 mm). Text enclosed. € 150
The Flora batava,
a monumental work forming a beautifully illustrated survey of all
indigenous plants in the Netherlands. It was started in 1800 by Jan Kops,
a Dutch agronomist and professor of botany at Utrecht. The first 10
volumes constitute all that was prepared and issued under his supervision.
When finished at last in 1934, Willem Jan Lütjeharms was the editor for
volume 28, in which he concludes that this work has ended now and that
publication took longer than any comparable foreign flora: De Flora
Batava heeft langer geleefd dan een der met dit werk vergelijkbare
buitenlandsche plaatwerken. The long publication period reflects the
change in the technique of its illustrations. Initially copper-engravings
were used, followed by lithographs, all coloured by hand, but from volume
25 colour-printing was gradually introduced. Also several artists were
involved, but the plates are not signed, nor much information is given
about them. The first publisher, J.C. Sepp en Zoon, was renowned for its
scientific colour-plate books. Each plate is accompanied by a text in
Dutch and French. The work was issued in 8vo and 4to. This plate is in the
most desirable large 4to format.* Pritzel 4822; Jackson p. 324; Great flower books p. 63; Nissen BBI 2247; Landwehr 60; Stafleu & Cowan 3874; Johnston 663; A hundred highlights from the Koninklijke Bibliotheek 70. www.meemelink.com · index · Amaryllidaceae |