c.1730 Hand-Colored Botanical Mezzotint — Mirabilis Jalapa by Johann Wilhelm Weinmann

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Original c.1730 hand-colored botanical mezzotint by Johann Wilhelm Weinmann, from Phytanthoza Iconographia, one of the landmark botanical works of the … Read more Original c.1730 hand-colored botanical mezzotint by Johann Wilhelm Weinmann, from Phytanthoza Iconographia, one of the landmark botanical works of the 18th century.

This beautifully aged plate features Mirabilis Jalapa, commonly known as four o’clock flower or marvel of Peru, rendered with rich red blossoms, striped floral detail, broad green leaves, and the soft warmth only found in genuinely old paper. The image has a quiet but immediate presence — elegant, botanical, scholarly, and slightly romantic — with color that still feels alive nearly 300 years after it was made.

What makes early botanical work so compelling is the balance between science and beauty. This was not created as simple decoration, but as part of a serious attempt to record and understand the natural world. Today, that original purpose gives the piece much of its charm: it feels collected, intelligent, and deeply atmospheric, equally at home in a library, study, garden room, cabinet-of-curiosities wall, or layered gallery arrangement.

The sheet has aged beautifully, with warm natural patina and antique paper tone that add depth and character without overwhelming the image. Offered loose and unframed. See less