Emanuel Sweerts (1552–1612) – Allegorical Title Page for Florilegium Amplissimum et Selectissimum (The Most Copious and Select Florilegium) – Engraving (1641)

This elaborate allegorical title page is for the famous botanical work, the Florilegium amplissimum et selectissimum. The design is divided into upper and lower registers framed by elaborate cartouches. The central scene shows a formal garden with a fountain and allegorical figures representing the power of the sun and the abundance of nature, with a figure seated amidst floral harvests. The overall composition is a celebration of horticulture and includes portrait roundels of historical figures below the central illustration. The print served as the engraved frontispiece for this commercial catalogue of rare and exotic bulbs and flowers, produced in multiple languages.

Emanuel Sweerts was a Dutch nurseryman and florist who held the prestigious position of Prefect of the Gardens for Emperor Rudolf II. Although the plates for the Florilegium were primarily copied from earlier works by Pierre Vallet and Johann Theodor de Bry, Sweerts compiled them to create a beautifully illustrated catalogue of his own stock for sale at the Frankfurt and Amsterdam fairs. His publication was immensely popular and highly influential in the 17th-century flower trade, significantly contributing to the burgeoning interest in tulips and other bulbs.

Artist or Maker: Emanuel Sweerts

Dimensions: Approximately 39 × 25 cm

Medium: Engraving

Date: 1641

Condition Report:

This work is in good condition overall. There may be a few minor imperfections or fox or mottled marks to be expected with age. Please review the images carefully for condition details, and feel free to contact us with any questions or for a comprehensive condition report.

Estimate	200 - 300 SEK
Buyers Premium (inc. VAT)	24.4%
Hammer Fee (inc. VAT)	6 SEK

Shipping

If you have any questions about shipping specific items, please contact us.

Dahlströms Rare Prints
Harju maakond, Tallinn
Lasnamäe linnaosa, Ruunaoja tn 3, 11415
Estland
info@dahlstromsrareprints.com

Auctions

Terms of purchase

Terms of sale

50 Emanuel Sweerts (1552–1612) – Allegorical Title Page for Florilegium Amplissimum et Selectissimum (The Most Copious and Select Florilegium) – Engraving (1641)