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Shallots, Allium cepa, and grape hyacinth, Muscari racemosum
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Shallots, Allium cepa, and grape hyacinth, Muscari racemosum
Shallots, Allium cepa, and grape hyacinth, Muscari racemosum. Handcoloured woodblock engraving of a botanical illustration from Adam Lonicers Krauterbuch, or Herbal, Frankfurt, 1557. This from a 17th century pirate edition or atlas of illustrations only, with captions in Latin, Greek, French, Italian, German, and in English manuscript
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Media ID 23192172
© Florilegius/Mary Evans
Adam Allium Captions Edition Esculentus Grape Herb Herbal Hyacinth Hyacinthus Krauterbuch Latin Lonicer Muscari Pirate Woodblock Woodcut Shallots
EDITORS COMMENTS
This exquisite hand-colored woodblock engraving is taken from the botanical illustration section of Adam Lonicer's influential herbal, "Krauterbuch," or "Herbal," published in Frankfurt in 1557. The illustration features two distinct plants: Allium cepa, commonly known as shallots, and Muscari racemosum, or grape hyacinth. Allium cepa, depicted on the left, is a bulbous perennial plant native to Central Asia. Its edible bulbs, which are rich in flavor and nutrients, have been cultivated for centuries for their culinary uses. The shallot's distinctive appearance is characterized by its multiple layers of small, brownish-purple skins, encasing clusters of small, pinkish-purple cloves. Muscari racemosum, shown on the right, is a bulbous, spring-flowering plant belonging to the hyacinth family. Its elegant, bell-shaped, blue, purple, or white flowers are borne on tall, slender stems, creating a striking display. Historically, grape hyacinths were used for medicinal purposes, particularly as an emetic, or vomit-inducing agent, due to their strong, fragrant bulbs. This particular woodblock engraving is a 17th-century pirate edition or atlas of illustrations only, featuring captions in various languages, including Latin, Greek, French, Italian, German, and English manuscript. The intricate detail and vibrant colors of the engraving serve as a testament to the skill and artistry of the botanical illustrators of the time. The illustration's hand-colored woodblock technique involves carving the design into a block of wood, inking it, and then pressing it onto paper to create the final image. This labor-intensive process, combined with the rich colors and intricate detail, highlights the importance of these botanical illustrations in the fields of medicine, botany, and natural history during the Renaissance period.
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