FUCHS, Leonhard (1501-1566). De Historia Stirpium Commentarii insignes . Basel: Michael Isingrin, 1542.
FUCHS, Leonhard (1501-1566). De Historia Stirpium Commentarii insignes . Basel: Michael Isingrin, 1542. 2° (379 x 244mm). Greek, roman and italic types. Ruled in red throughout. 509 full-page botanical woodcuts, 3 smaller cuts in the text, by Veit Rudolph Speckle after Heinrich Füllmauer and Albert Meyer, full-page full-length portrait of Fuchs on title verso, portraits of the 3 artists on fff5r, printer's device on title, repeated on final verso, ALL WOODCUTS FULLY COLOURED BY A CONTEMPORARY HAND , historiated initials in several sizes. (Upper margin of title renewed, small worm hole in bottom margin of first two leaves and top margin of last two gatherings, short tear in mm6, very occasional scattered spotting.) French 16th-century calf, covers with gilt double frame filled in black and centred with four gilt azure leaves inside a gilt lozenge double frame filled in black, spine with seven raised bands, gilt ruled, each compartment centred with a gilt azure leaf, edges gilt (edges and spine ends renewed, re-hinged, top margin of front endpaper renewed, without rear endpaper). Provenance : Grignon de Villeneuve, Doctor of Medicine in Montpellier (inscription on title and front endpaper) – ‘Jo. Ca. Aegid Aubry’, Doctor of Medicine (bookplate). FIRST EDITION OF FUCHS’S MAGNUM OPUS , WITHOUT EQUAL AMONG THE BOTANICAL WORKS OF ITS TIME. A VERY FINE COPY WITH ALL WOODCUTS IN CONTEMPORARY COLOURING. Carefully observed, the illustrations are largely true to nature and allow for plant identification. According to Meyer, the illustrations ‘ command universal recognition and praise for their simple elegance and naturalness of form, traits that place this herbal among the landmarks of the history of botanical iconography’ . Unusually for the time, full recognition was given to the three artists involved in producing the work: the plants were drawn from nature by Albrecht Meyer, transferred to woodblocks by Heinrich Füllmaurer and cut into wood by Veit Rudolf Speckle, ‘by far the best engraver in Strasbourg’. Such was their importance that their group portrait is included at the end of the book. Adams F-1099; Davies, Fairfax Murray German 175; Grolier/Norman 17; Hunt 48; Nissen BBI 658; PMM 69; Pritzel 3138.
FUCHS, Leonhard (1501-1566). De Historia Stirpium Commentarii insignes . Basel: Michael Isingrin, 1542.
FUCHS, Leonhard (1501-1566). De Historia Stirpium Commentarii insignes . Basel: Michael Isingrin, 1542. 2° (379 x 244mm). Greek, roman and italic types. Ruled in red throughout. 509 full-page botanical woodcuts, 3 smaller cuts in the text, by Veit Rudolph Speckle after Heinrich Füllmauer and Albert Meyer, full-page full-length portrait of Fuchs on title verso, portraits of the 3 artists on fff5r, printer's device on title, repeated on final verso, ALL WOODCUTS FULLY COLOURED BY A CONTEMPORARY HAND , historiated initials in several sizes. (Upper margin of title renewed, small worm hole in bottom margin of first two leaves and top margin of last two gatherings, short tear in mm6, very occasional scattered spotting.) French 16th-century calf, covers with gilt double frame filled in black and centred with four gilt azure leaves inside a gilt lozenge double frame filled in black, spine with seven raised bands, gilt ruled, each compartment centred with a gilt azure leaf, edges gilt (edges and spine ends renewed, re-hinged, top margin of front endpaper renewed, without rear endpaper). Provenance : Grignon de Villeneuve, Doctor of Medicine in Montpellier (inscription on title and front endpaper) – ‘Jo. Ca. Aegid Aubry’, Doctor of Medicine (bookplate). FIRST EDITION OF FUCHS’S MAGNUM OPUS , WITHOUT EQUAL AMONG THE BOTANICAL WORKS OF ITS TIME. A VERY FINE COPY WITH ALL WOODCUTS IN CONTEMPORARY COLOURING. Carefully observed, the illustrations are largely true to nature and allow for plant identification. According to Meyer, the illustrations ‘ command universal recognition and praise for their simple elegance and naturalness of form, traits that place this herbal among the landmarks of the history of botanical iconography’ . Unusually for the time, full recognition was given to the three artists involved in producing the work: the plants were drawn from nature by Albrecht Meyer, transferred to woodblocks by Heinrich Füllmaurer and cut into wood by Veit Rudolf Speckle, ‘by far the best engraver in Strasbourg’. Such was their importance that their group portrait is included at the end of the book. Adams F-1099; Davies, Fairfax Murray German 175; Grolier/Norman 17; Hunt 48; Nissen BBI 658; PMM 69; Pritzel 3138.
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.jpg "Source: Christie's")
.jpg "Source: Christie's")
