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Hortus Floridus. A garden of flowers, wherein very lively is contained a true and perfect description of all the flowers contained in these four following books.

1615
Not on view
Published in Latin, Dutch, English, and French editions between 1614 and 1617, the Hortus Floridus (Den Bloemhof in Dutch) was the breakout work of Crispijn de Passe the Younger, a member of an internationally renowned family of printmakers and print publishers. Engraving the lion's share of the volume's 168 plates and authoring a number of its texts, De Passe the Younger demonstrated with this publication his ambition, learnedness, and technical prowess. Although forming part of a centuries-long tradition of "herbals," and containing both "useful" (i.e. medicinal) plants and popular garden varietals of certain interest to amateur horticulturists, the book was geared, at least in part, to flower painters. The text addresses them directly and includes instructions on how to accurately color the plants.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Hortus Floridus. A garden of flowers, wherein very lively is contained a true and perfect description of all the flowers contained in these four following books.
  • Artist: Artist and author: Crispijn de Passe the Younger (Dutch, Cologne ca. 1594–1670 Amsterdam)
  • Author: Several texts by Arnout van Buchell (Netherlandish, Utrecht 1565–1641 Utrecht) (not named on titlepage)
  • Artist: One plate by Willem de Passe (Dutch, Cologne ca. 1597–ca. 1636 London)
  • Artist: Three plates by Simon de Passe (Dutch, Cologne ca. 1595–1647 Copenhagen)
  • Publisher: Crispijn de Passe the Elder (Netherlandish, Arnemuiden 1564–1637 Utrecht)
  • Publisher: Johannes Janssonius (Dutch,1588 Arnhem–Amsterdam 1664)
  • Printer: This edition printed by Salomon de Roy (Dutch, 1590–1637) , Utrecht
  • Date: 1615
  • Medium: Printed book with engravings
  • Dimensions: 11 3/4 × 7 1/2 in. (29.8 × 19.1 cm)
  • Classification: Books
  • Credit Line: Purchase, The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 2026
  • Object Number: 2026.430
  • Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints

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