Theatrum Botanicum, the Theatre of Plants or An Universal and Compleat Herball.
Medium
Illustrations: engraving, woodcut
Dimensions
14 3/16 x 9 7/16 x 4 5/16 in. (36 x 24 x 11 cm)
Classification
Books
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Estate of Marie L. Russell, 1946
Accession Number
46.117.3
Tags
Art Historical Context
Published in 1640, *Theatrum Botanicum, the Theatre of Plants or An Universal and Compleat Herball* stands as one of the most ambitious botanical works of its era. Compiled by English apothecary and botanist John Parkinson, the massive volume gathers descriptions of nearly 4,000 plants, their medicinal properties, and cultivation notes. Its very title evokes a grand “theatre” where nature’s performers take the stage, reflecting the Renaissance fascination with encyclopedic knowledge. The book’s illustrations, created through engraving and woodcut, played a vital role in plant identification a...
About the Artist
John Parkinson|William Marshall|Thomas Cotes|John Parkinson|Bayntun (British|British|British|British|British) · 1567 |1617 |1541 |1567 |1894 –1650 |1649 |1641 |1650 |1894
British, 1567–1650|British, active 1617–1649/50|British, died 1641|British, 1567–1650|British, established Bath 1894