Basilius Besler’s ‘Hortus Eystettensis’ is considered to be one of the most important and beautiful florilegia ever published. The book which was the largest ever published at the time, was commissioned by Prince-Bishop Johann Conrad von Gemmingen in 1606 whose castle overlooked the town of Eichstatt to the south of Nuremberg. His garden was begun by Joachim Camerarius the younger (1534-98) but was completed by Basilius Besler. Besler was a pharmacist from Nuremberg who had his own renowned garden. Besler used the services of his younger brother Hieronymus and Ludwig Jungermann, a teacher in natural history at the University of Altdorf. The project was to be a vast catalogue and it is believed that Hieronymus Besler helped him write the Latin text, while Jungermann prepared the botanical descriptions. In the dedication Besler identifies himself as the author of many of the original drawings which are conserved today in the library of the University of Erlangen. The engraving of the 378 plates however took many years and was the work of others. The “Hortus Eystettensis” was published in 1613, unfortunately just one year after Gemmingen died. Coloured examples sold for 500 fl., ten times that of a black and white version!

The title page offered here is remarkable is from the first edition of 1613 and in FULL EARLY WASH COLOUR. Nicolas Barker’s book studied only the early coloured examples extant. He located approximately twenty-two examples of the book in early colour. The book goes into extensive detail about pigments used, even identifying some of the colourists by name. It also completely re-wrote the previous misconceptions about the differing editions. Private English collection. Barker ‘Hortus Eystettensis. The Bishop’s Garden and Besler’s Magnificent Book’; Barker, Nicolas, private correspondence; Hunt 430; Nissen 158; Pritzel 745; Stafleu & Cowan 497; Tomasi ‘Oak Spring Flora’ pp. 52-7.