Beschreibung:

FERRARI, Giovanni Battista (1584-1655). Hesperides sive de malorum aureorum cultura et usu libri quatuor. Rome: Herman Scheus, 1646. 2° (352 x 230mm). Engraved allegorical title by J. F. Greuter, 95 full-page engraved illustrations only (of 101), including 80 of citrus fruit, the rest of allegorical and horticultural scenes. (Lacking 6 engraved illustrations, occasional browning and light marginal dampstaining.) Contemporary mottled sheep (rebacked, extremities rubbed). FIRST EDITION. According to Hunt "The chief importance of this book lies in the excellence of its botanical plates", but it was also an important landmark in the cultivation of hothouse fruit, and was to prove the model for Commelin's Nederlantze Hesperides of 1676. The plates in Ferrari's work are mainly of citrus fruit, drawn and engraved by Cornelis Blomaerts, "one of the great Dutch 17th-century botanical artists" (Hunt). The remaining plates, which include illustrations of gardens and gardening tools as well as mythical scenes, are by C. Cungi, Cl. Goyrand and Joh. Fr. Greuter after Franc. Albanus, Phil. Gaglairdi, Nic. Poussin and others. Although Nissen requires only 100 engravings in addition to the title, there would appear to be a total of 101, since in the present copy six plates are clearly missing from 'Liber Primus' in addition to the 95 we have. The engraving numbered '230' is printed on the verso of '229'. Hunt 243; Nissen BBI 621.