A high-quality mezzotint by the notable Johann Jacob Haid (1704-67) of Augsburg. The portrait is of Christoph Jacob Trew (1695-1769) who supported the publication of the ‘Plantae Selectae’, 1750-73, for which it was produced. Trew supplied the descriptions. It has been called ‘one of the greatest eighteenth century botanical books published’ (De Belder) and is distinguished by its gold titles. He was a wealthy physician and noted bibliophile. The botanical prints in the work were by the artist George Dionysius Ehret (1708-70) who enjoyed the lifelong patronage of Trew, and they became great friends. It was Trew who encouraged Ehret to study the plants from a scientific perspective as well as an artistic one. Hunt alludes to the fact that the portrait was concluded by Haid’s son, Johnn Elias Haid (1738-1809) following his death in 1767, as the date of Trew’s death in 1769 is recorded on the engraving. De Belder (1987) 363; Dunthorne 309; ‘Great Flower Books’ (1956) p. 78; Hunt (1958) 539; Nissen BBI (1966) no. 1997.