Hortus Eystettensis Botanical Engraving

This is an original hand-colored copper plate engraving from Hortus Eystettensis (The Garden of Eichstätt), published by Basilius Besler (1561-1629) in Nuremburg in 1613 (1st edition), depicting the species Malva Hortensis, known today as the Hollyhock. (According to Wikipedia, hollyhocks comprise about 60 species of flowering plants in the genus Alcea (Ál-ce-a) in the mallow family Malvaceae, native to southwest and central Asia. They are biennial or short-lived perennial plants growing to 3.5 m tall, with broad, rounded, palmately lobed leaves and numerous flowers, pink or yellow in the wild species, on the erect central stem.) Printed on heavy laid paper with printed description on verso, and species titles on front in Latin. This print comes from the collection of Roni Steinberg Sokoloff and resided in her former 63-acre estate in Bedford New York known as Cantitoe Farms. (The estate is down the road from Martha Stewart's home by the same name.) Ms. Sokoloff purchased this and another engraving (being sold separately) from a Manhattan dealer in the early 1980s, and they were framed by J. Pocker & Son, one of the leading framing companies in New York since 1926. Frames measure 25.5" by 29.25" by 1". Print measures 16" by 20". We have not removed the print from its frame for inspection. This framed print is being sold "as is" and we will not dismantle the frames for shipment. This is one of two engravings that remain from Ms. Sokoloff's collection of four engravings. The collection of four were appraised in 1988 by Anton Rudert Jr Appraisals (30 East 42nd Street, New York Ny) for $5,000, and we will gladly provide a copy to the buyer. hortus Eystettensis is considered the first great botanical folio of its kind, and included hand-colored engravings depicting roses, tulips, water lillies, iris, peonies, daffodils, vegetables and hundreds more species. The folio was commissioned by Johann Konrad von Gemmingen (c1561-1612), who from 1595 to 1612 served as Prince-bishop of Eichstätt. The folio was intended to document the contents of his extensive garden, which contained species from throughout Europe, with even some species from Asia, Africa and North America. Basil Besler, a local pharmacist and botanist, created the colored drawing set over a 16-year period while working on site. Six engravers translated his drawings to copper plates, with Wolfgang Kilian the chief among them. The folio depicts over 1,000 flowers from 667 species on 374 plates. The first edition of 300 was published in 1613 and remains one of the most important works of its kind ever produced. Konrad's garden was destroyed in 1634 but was recreated and opened to the public in 1998.
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