Basilius Besler (1561 – 1629) was an apothecary from Nuremberg who set a new standard for botanical images by depicting plants as exquisitely beautiful. Besler was commissioned by Bishop Johann Konrad von Gemmingen to create engravings of the 1,084 flowers in his immense garden. As a result, the artist spent 16 years designing 367 colored plates. Many of the plants were imported from the America and the Ottoman Empire, and all were portrayed life-size. All future flower books followed the standard set by Besler’s remarkable, detailed plant imagery.

A textured crackle varnish and raw umber stain has been applied by hand to the surface of this print, giving it an antique appearance with a patina-like stained edge.