This book is a fantastic graphic document of the flowers grown in the most important German garden of its time, the Hortus Eystettensis, unique in its kind for its wide range of flowers.
A total of 367 copperplate engravings by Basilius Besler (1561-1629), first published in 1613, illustrate the spectacular plant diversity of the green spaces of the palace of Prince-Bishop Johann Konrad von Gemmingen (1593/1595-1612) in Eichstätt, Bavaria (Germany). The meticulous illustrations are arranged according to season and, according to the current classification system, show plants belonging to a total of 90 families and 340 genera. As a whole, the collection is considered one of the finest treasures of botanical literature. The legendary 18th century zoologist and botanical expert Charles Linnaeus described it as an incomparable work.
Besler's graphic catalogue has survived beyond the gardens themselves, which were destroyed in 1634 by invading Swedish troops during the Thirty Years' War. The starting price at auction for a first edition of the Hortus Eystettensis now exceeds half a million dollars. With this edition, TASCHEN opens the doors of this plant treasure to a much wider public. An exquisite and admirable document, a reference for every splendid garden.

Publisher: Taschen