From Herbarz
Giorgio Liberale, engraved by Wolfgang Meyerpeck
Prague: Georg Melantrich, 1565
After Pietro Andrea Mattioli
Large woodcut on a single folio leaf
Later hand coloring
This superb near-folio woodcut depicting oats and rye originates from the Prague edition of Pietro Andrea Mattioli’s celebrated Herbarz, published in 1565 by Georg Melantrich. Representing staple cereal crops fundamental to European agriculture and diet, the image reflects the Renaissance effort to document not only medicinal plants but also the botanical foundations of everyday life.
The composition was designed by Giorgio Liberale, an Italian artist from Udine working for the imperial court in Prague, and engraved by Wolfgang Meyerpeck. Liberale produced approximately six hundred large botanical designs for this edition of Mattioli’s work, an undertaking of extraordinary scale and ambition. The resulting images are widely regarded as among the finest woodcuts ever produced for a herbal, praised for their clarity, balance, and scientific authority.
The delicacy of Meyerpeck’s cutting was such that contemporary commentators noted the rapid wear of the woodblocks, making early impressions especially desirable. This example retains strong definition in the stalks, grain heads, and root systems. The sheet has been hand colored at a later date, enhancing contrast and visual legibility while preserving the integrity of the original engraving. Each hand-colored example is unique.
Mattioli’s Herbarz stands among the most significant and rare Renaissance herbals, with very few complete copies recorded in North American collections. Individual leaves such as this are increasingly sought after for their rarity, scale, and importance in the history of botany, agriculture, and early modern science.
Good overall condition. Some light age toning to the upper margin, consistent with age and use. Please view images carefully.
Nissen, Botanische Buchillustration (BBI) 1314
Pritzel 5992
Anderson, Herbals 163
Medium: Woodcut with later hand coloring
Format: Folio leaf
Date: 1565
Dimensions: 13.43 × 9.33 inches (34.1 × 23.7 cm)
Subjects: Oats, Rye, Cereals, Botany
Status: Available
From Herbarz
Giorgio Liberale, engraved by Wolfgang Meyerpeck
Prague: Georg Melantrich, 1565
After Pietro Andrea Mattioli
Large woodcut on a single folio leaf
Later hand coloring
This superb near-folio woodcut depicting oats and rye originates from the Prague edition of Pietro Andrea Mattioli’s celebrated Herbarz, published in 1565 by Georg Melantrich. Representing staple cereal crops fundamental to European agriculture and diet, the image reflects the Renaissance effort to document not only medicinal plants but also the botanical foundations of everyday life.
The composition was designed by Giorgio Liberale, an Italian artist from Udine working for the imperial court in Prague, and engraved by Wolfgang Meyerpeck. Liberale produced approximately six hundred large botanical designs for this edition of Mattioli’s work, an undertaking of extraordinary scale and ambition. The resulting images are widely regarded as among the finest woodcuts ever produced for a herbal, praised for their clarity, balance, and scientific authority.
The delicacy of Meyerpeck’s cutting was such that contemporary commentators noted the rapid wear of the woodblocks, making early impressions especially desirable. This example retains strong definition in the stalks, grain heads, and root systems. The sheet has been hand colored at a later date, enhancing contrast and visual legibility while preserving the integrity of the original engraving. Each hand-colored example is unique.
Mattioli’s Herbarz stands among the most significant and rare Renaissance herbals, with very few complete copies recorded in North American collections. Individual leaves such as this are increasingly sought after for their rarity, scale, and importance in the history of botany, agriculture, and early modern science.
Good overall condition. Some light age toning to the upper margin, consistent with age and use. Please view images carefully.
Nissen, Botanische Buchillustration (BBI) 1314
Pritzel 5992
Anderson, Herbals 163
Medium: Woodcut with later hand coloring
Format: Folio leaf
Date: 1565
Dimensions: 13.43 × 9.33 inches (34.1 × 23.7 cm)
Subjects: Oats, Rye, Cereals, Botany
Status: Available
