Robertus Stephanus - [Post Incunable] De Re Hortensi - 1538

De Re Hortensi Libellus – A Botanical Humanist Manual from the Estienne Workshop
The De re hortensi libellus, printed in Paris in 1539 by the workshop of Robert Estienne, is a rare and significant text that combines educational and naturalistic aims. It presents in Latin the names of herbs, flowers, and shrubs commonly cultivated in gardens, based on classical sources and approved authors. The work was intended as a tool to enrich vocabulary and naturalistic knowledge, with an approach reflecting the union of pedagogy and natural sciences typical of humanism. Accompanying it is a second booklet, De cultura et satione hortorum ex antiquorum sententia, which adds a practical section on cultivation. The typographic emblem with the olive and the motto “Noli altum sapere” marks the cultural and moral identity of the great Estienne workshop.
Market value
The Estienne botanical editions of the early sixteenth century are rare and highly valued in the antiquarian market. A copy in good condition can be worth between 3,000 and 7,000 euros, with fluctuations depending on the preservation state, completeness, and binding quality. Fresh specimens, untrimmed or with illustrious provenance, can exceed these figures.

Physical description and condition
Next in the editorial cardboard binding. Title page with typographic mark of Robert Estienne (the olive tree with Paoline motto). Pages with minimal oxidation and reddening. The colophon indicates the exact date: 'Excudebat Robertus Stephanus, Lutetiae, anno M.D.XXXVIII, Non. Decemb.' (December 5, 1538), while the title page bears the date 1539: a typical case of the transition of the editorial year. Pp. (4); 140; (4).

Full title and author
A little book on gardening.
In Paris, from the workshop of Robert Stephani, 1539.
Robertus Stephanus

Context and Significance
The small booklet constitutes an important piece in the Renaissance botanical-pedagogical tradition. It is not a scientific treatise in the modern sense, but an educational text that introduced students to Latin vocabulary applied to the natural world, in line with humanistic pedagogy aimed at uniting linguistic knowledge and concrete understanding. The addition on the cult and sowing of gardens shows the ongoing dialogue between the recovery of ancient authors and daily practice, giving the text a role in consolidating a gardening culture intertwined with moral philosophy and intellectual training.

Biography of the Author
The little book is anonymous, but the edition was curated and printed by Robert Estienne (1503-1559), one of the most illustrious typographers of the European Renaissance. As the royal printer in Paris for the Latin language, he published biblical, philological, lexicographical, and scientific texts with unmatched typographical quality. Due to his religious positions, he left Paris and settled in Geneva in 1550, continuing his work there. His workshop is remembered for its graphic elegance and for its cultural importance in spreading classical and biblical knowledge.

Printing history and circulation
De re hortensi was published in multiple editions in the 16th century. The 1539 edition is one of the earliest and most significant botanical-educational publications by Estienne. Intended for schools and humanist circles, the print run was relatively limited. Today, surviving copies are rare, and having an intact, dated copy from 1539 is an important testament to the Parisian production before the move to Geneva.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Renouard, Annals of Printing by the Estienne (1539)
Pritzel, Thesaurus Literaturae Botanicae, 1847
Adams, Catalogue of Books Printed on the Continent of Europe, 1501-1600
Hunt Botanical Catalogue, vol. I
USTC, WorldCat, BnF (recorded copies of the 1539 edition)