Description
This TASCHEN edition revives Hortus Eystettensis, Basilius Besler’s 1613 botanical masterpiece, in a stunning facsimile of the original three-volume work. Featuring 367 hand-colored plates of the gardens at Willibaldsburg Castle, this edition preserves the beauty of Besler’s groundbreaking illustrations while enhancing them with expert texts and modern classifications. Commissioned by Prince-Bishop Johann Konrad von Gemmingen, Hortus Eystettensis documented an extraordinary collection of plants from across the world. Though the gardens were lost during the Thirty Years’ War, Besler’s meticulous engravings remain a landmark in botanical history. This edition, based on a rare copy from the University Library of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt, includes detailed descriptions of each plant’s botanical, pharmaceutical, and symbolic significance, along with historical essays that frame the work in its rich context.















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