Matthaeus Platearius - Herbolaire Estense - 2008

Herbolaire Estense or Grant Herbier - Est. 28 = alfa M. 5. 9
Anastatic edition
Stored at the Estense University Library of Modena
Copy number: 267
L’Herbolaire Estense, also known as Grant Herbier, is an extraordinary botanical manuscript from the second half of the 15th century, preserved at the Estense University Library in Modena (shelf mark: Est. 28 = alfa M.5.9). It is one of the richest and most refined illustrated herbals of the late medieval period, a precious testimony to the meeting between medical knowledge, natural science, and the art of miniatures.
Drafted in medieval French, the work gathers hundreds of botanical entries arranged alphabetically, each accompanied by a watercolor illustration depicting the described plant. The images, of high quality and with stylistic variety, are often enriched by narrative and fantastical elements: peasants, animals, mythological creatures, and pastoral landscapes populate the pages with vitality, making the manuscript not only a treatise on herbs but also a window into the symbolic and visual world of the Quattrocento.
Each entry reports detailed descriptions of the plant’s healing properties, preparation and administration methods, and sometimes astrological references, in line with the medical theories prevailing at the time. The work reflects an encyclopedic approach, in which ancient knowledge blends with direct observation and with a decorative aesthetic of striking impact.
The facsimile, printed in a limited, numbered edition, faithfully reproduces the original in every detail: the 340 pages, sized 20 × 28 cm, are printed on hand-treated parchment-like paper, with a leather binding crafted by hand and sewn on cords, according to the historical criteria of book production of the period.
L’Herbolaire Estense is far more than a botanical treatise: it is a cultural document of extraordinary richness, telling the worldview of the medieval man, suspended between scientific knowledge, traditional therapy, and imagination.
The edition includes the commentary edited by Ernesto Milano.
Trident Publisher.