Basilius Besler. The Garden at Eichstatt

The Hortus Eystettensis is a botanical masterpiece that showcases the beauty and diversity of plants from around the world. It was created by Prince-Bishop Johann Konrad von Gemmingen and commissioned by Basilius Besler, an apothecary from Nuremberg. The book contains 367 hand-colored plates and detailed descriptions of the plants, covering 90 families and 340 genera. It is considered a milestone in the art of botanical illustration and was later described by Carl Linnaeus as an "incomparable work". Despite being destroyed in 1634 by invading Swedish troops, the garden has been recreated in the modern Bastion Garden, which opened in 1998. This facsimile edition of the Hortus Eystettensis includes high-quality reproductions of the illustrations, along with detailed descriptions of each plant's botanical, pharmaceutical, and symbolic significance. It is a valuable piece of botanical literature that can fetch prices of over $1,000,000 at auction.

Format: Hardback
Length: 1096 pages
Publication date: 13 November 2023
Publisher: Taschen GmbH

Prince-Bishop Johann Konrad von Gemmingen (1593/95–1612) embarked on a transformative renovation of the Willibaldsburg Castle in Eichstätt, Bavaria, overlooking the Altmühl River. Alongside the castle, he envisioned a magnificent palatial pleasure garden that would be a lasting testament to its beauty and grandeur. To ensure the garden's preservation for future generations and provide a comprehensive record of its contents, Prince-Bishop Johann Konrad commissioned the gardens director, Nuremberg apothecary Basilius Besler (1561–1629), and a team of engravers to capture the garden's treasures in print. The result was the Hortus Eystettensis, a monumental work published in Nuremberg in 1613 that featured 367 hand-colored plates and detailed descriptions. This extraordinary publication showcased a remarkable range of plants, covering 90 families and 340 genera, many of which were imported from exotic locales. What set the Hortus Eystettensis apart was its artistic and stylized illustrations, which presented plants in a new light, emphasizing their aesthetic appeal rather than solely their practical or medicinal value. Despite being published before the establishment of standardized classification systems, the Hortus Eystettensis was later hailed as an "incomparable work" by Carl Linnaeus. While the gardens themselves were destroyed in 1634 by invading Swedish troops during the Thirty Years War, a lengthy redevelopment project at the historic site culminated in the opening of the modern Bastion Garden in 1998. This garden features many of the plants depicted in the Hortus Eystettensis, offering visitors a chance to experience the beauty and diversity of the original garden. Today, the Hortus Eystettensis remains a significant work in the art of botanical illustration, showcasing the artistic and scientific achievements of its time.

Weight: 8322g
Dimension: 263 x 336 x 143 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783836594332
Edition number: Multilingual ed