Botanical Studies: Ivy (Cymbalaria) & Pennywort
From Herbarz
Giorgio Liberale, engraved by Wolfgang Meyerpeck
Prague: Georg Melantrich, 1565
After Pietro Andrea Mattioli
Hand-colored woodcuts on a single folio leaf
Two large woodcuts, printed to recto and verso
This folio leaf presents two finely executed botanical woodcuts depicting ivy (Cymbalaria) and pennywort, issued from the Prague edition of Pietro Andrea Mattioli’s celebrated Herbarz. Produced in 1565 by the imperial printer Georg Melantrich, the work belongs to one of the most important and visually accomplished Renaissance herbals.
The illustrations were designed by Giorgio Liberale, an Italian artist from Udine who worked extensively for the imperial court in Prague, and engraved by Wolfgang Meyerpeck. Liberale is credited with producing nearly 600 large woodblocks for the Prague editions of Mattioli’s commentary on Dioscorides—a monumental undertaking that resulted in some of the finest botanical woodcuts ever produced. Contemporary and later commentators noted that the delicacy of these cuts often caused the blocks to wear quickly, making early impressions especially desirable.
The present examples are hand-colored, likely shortly after publication, enhancing both their visual clarity and aesthetic appeal. Mattioli’s Herbarz is recognized as one of the most significant Renaissance botanical works and among the scarcest herbals, with very few copies recorded in North American collections. These images stand at the intersection of medicine, botany, and Renaissance printmaking, reflecting the period’s drive to systematize plant knowledge for scientific and practical use.
Condition:
Good overall condition. Light age toning to the upper margin of the leaf. Minimal restoration to the edge. Please view images carefully.
Bibliographic references:
Nissen, Botanische Buchillustration (BBI) 1314
Pritzel 5992
Anderson, Herbals 163
Status: Available
Inquiries: Acquisition and exhibition inquiries welcome
Botanical Studies: Ivy (Cymbalaria) & Pennywort
From Herbarz
Giorgio Liberale, engraved by Wolfgang Meyerpeck
Prague: Georg Melantrich, 1565
After Pietro Andrea Mattioli
Hand-colored woodcuts on a single folio leaf
Two large woodcuts, printed to recto and verso
This folio leaf presents two finely executed botanical woodcuts depicting ivy (Cymbalaria) and pennywort, issued from the Prague edition of Pietro Andrea Mattioli’s celebrated Herbarz. Produced in 1565 by the imperial printer Georg Melantrich, the work belongs to one of the most important and visually accomplished Renaissance herbals.
The illustrations were designed by Giorgio Liberale, an Italian artist from Udine who worked extensively for the imperial court in Prague, and engraved by Wolfgang Meyerpeck. Liberale is credited with producing nearly 600 large woodblocks for the Prague editions of Mattioli’s commentary on Dioscorides—a monumental undertaking that resulted in some of the finest botanical woodcuts ever produced. Contemporary and later commentators noted that the delicacy of these cuts often caused the blocks to wear quickly, making early impressions especially desirable.
The present examples are hand-colored, likely shortly after publication, enhancing both their visual clarity and aesthetic appeal. Mattioli’s Herbarz is recognized as one of the most significant Renaissance botanical works and among the scarcest herbals, with very few copies recorded in North American collections. These images stand at the intersection of medicine, botany, and Renaissance printmaking, reflecting the period’s drive to systematize plant knowledge for scientific and practical use.
Condition:
Good overall condition. Light age toning to the upper margin of the leaf. Minimal restoration to the edge. Please view images carefully.
Bibliographic references:
Nissen, Botanische Buchillustration (BBI) 1314
Pritzel 5992
Anderson, Herbals 163
Status: Available
Inquiries: Acquisition and exhibition inquiries welcome
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