Giorgio Liberale (1527–79); W. Meyerpeck - Wolf’s Bane Devil’s Helmet Aconitum: Botany - 2 Folio woodcuts recto & verso of leaf - Hand coloured - 1565

Giorgio Liberale (1527–c.79) ; W. Meyerpeck

2 superb near folio woodcuts in hand colour on one leaf (recto and verso).

Leaf: 33.5 x 22.8 cms.

FOLIO

Issued in:

Pietro Andrea Mattioli (Siena 1501 - Trento 1568)

Herbarz. Prag, G. Melantrich, 1562

Bibliographical references: Nissen, BBI 1314; Pritzel 5992; Anderson, Herbals 163.


"Many of these woodcuts were so delicately cut, that the blocks soon became worn. The 'first impressions' of such woodcuts were undoubtedly the best" (Savage 127).

Pietro Andrea Mattioli's (1500–77) Herbarz (1562) was one of the most significant editions of Mattioli's commentary on Dioscorides (circa A.D. 40–90). It is also one of scarcest herbals, with less than a handful of copies extant in North America.

Giorgio Liberale was an Italian artist from Udine who had been working for the imperial court in Prague. In this role he produced some 600 large blocks that were used in the Prague edition of Matthioli’s Herbal. The work resulted in some of the finest woodcuts of any herbal produced in any century.

Some minor staging to edges. Minor age toning.