18th-Century Exotic Botanical Prints From Plantae Selectae by Georg Ehret

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The Sandbox Tree & The Banyan Tree: Exotic Botanical Prints,
Plantae Selectae by Georg Ehret,
Tab. L & XXXIV : … Read more The Sandbox Tree & The Banyan Tree: Exotic Botanical Prints,
Plantae Selectae by Georg Ehret,
Tab. L & XXXIV : Exotic Botanical Print from Plantae Selectae by Georg Ehret,
Circa 1750–1773

Magnificent, hand-colored copperplate engravings originating from one of the most celebrated botanical publications of the 18th century, Plantae Selectae within matte and frame.

Created by the master botanical artist Georg Dionysius Ehret and published by Dr. Christopher Jacob Trew, these plates exemplifies the scientific precision of the Linnaean era. The image depicts the "Sandbox Tree"—so named because its exploding seed pods were once used to hold dry sand for blotting ink—in a dramatic composition that highlights its reproductive anatomy alongside its lush foliage and a plate depicting the fig plant with scientific precision, capturing the lush texture of its broad, ovate leaves and fruiting bodies in a grand, dramatic composition. The engravings are finished with vibrant period hand-coloring and the publication's signature gilded title.

Measurements:
Height: 24 3/4 inches (62.9 cm)
Width: 19 1/2 inches (49.5 cm)
Depth: 1 inch (2.5 cm)

Historical Context:

The Golden Age of Botanical Art Plantae Selectae (1750–1773) is widely regarded as the finest botanical work ever produced in Germany and a cornerstone of the "Golden Age" of botanical illustration. It represents the culmination of a decades-long collaboration between two remarkable figures: Dr. Christopher Jacob Trew, a wealthy physician and obsessive botanist in Nuremberg, and Georg Dionysius Ehret, the brilliant German artist who had established himself in London.

A Long-Distance Masterpiece: Though they lived in different countries, Trew acted as Ehret's lifelong patron, purchasing his watercolors of exotic plants blooming in London's Physic Gardens and commissioning the master engraver Johann Jakob Haid in Augsburg to reproduce them.

The Linnaean Connection: Ehret was a close friend and collaborator of Carl Linnaeus, having previously illustrated the botanist's revolutionary sexual system of classification. This influence is visible in Plantae Selectae, where Ehret prioritized the accurate depiction of reproductive parts (stamens and pistils) alongside the aesthetic beauty of the specimen, effectively marrying art with the new science of taxonomy.

Exotic Wonder: The series was dedicated to "select plants"—specifically rare and exotic species from the Americas and Asia that were new to European eyes. The Sandbox Tree, with its strange explosive fruit and medicinal properties, would have been viewed as a marvel of the natural world, symbolizing the reach of 18th-century exploration. See less