Flowers are the delight of the earth... Matthias Hermann, 1973

{HISTORY}

Categorized as a gardening encyclopedia upon its debut in 1973, Garden Flowers by Matthias Hermann is really a botanical illustration book just as much as a descriptive flower identification guide. Beautifully presented with full-color drawings by renowned botanical artists including Albrecht Dürer (1471–1528), Pierre Joseph Redouté (1759–1840) and Moritz Michael Daffinger (1790–1849), this colorful collection features over 60 different flower varieties with brief yet very interesting and informative descriptions on growing conditions, botanical history, medicinal uses, and visual attributes.

Laid out alphabetically for quick reference, many garden favorites are included here, such as Asters, Zinnia, Columbine, Hollyhock, Foxglove, Nasturtiums, and Geraniums, along with some lesser-known varieties like Cuckoo-pint, Cyclamen, Monkey-flower, Lychnis, Adam's Needle, and Woundwort.

Published by Minerva Editions, printed in West Germany, and translated by Grace Jackman, this book contains a few language translation hallmarks that make it an endearing copy. The most notable of those are the title, which on the dust jacket reads Garden Flowers and on the title page and coverboard spine reads Gardens Flowers. 

As for the artists, Belgian painter and botanist Pierre Joseph Redouté is probably the most well-known as far as botanical illustrations included here, as that was his sole focus during his career. He is still widely considered the greatest botanical artist of all time.

Austrian painter and sculptor Moritz Daffinger was most well known as a miniature portraitist and didn’t begin working on floral illustrations until the last decade of his life, which was unfortunately cut short due to an early death from cholera at the age of 59. Although his production period was limited, his botanical work was highly praised for both its color and detail. And it seems a big tragedy now that he wasn't able to pursue it for longer in his life.

German Renaissance painter Albrecht Dürer created botanical paintings between 1502–1526. Similar to Daffinger, this creative time period occurred in the last quarter of his life, which was also cut short by an early death at the age of 56. His botanical portraits were considered intimate technical studies, and although not as well known during his lifetime, they are now highly regarded as 16th-century plant studies. In addition to calling attention to what most considered “weeds" in 1500s Germany, his devotion to studying them with the same level of attention and detail as any human portrait highly influenced the field of botanical artistry for centuries afterward.

A beautiful coffee table book, as well as a garden reference guide, Garden Flowers is a gorgeous addition to any horticultural library, artist’s studio, and flower enthusiast’s collection. This edition is the now rare, hard-to-find First Edition printed in West Germany by Minerva Editions. 

{SPECIAL FEATURES}

• 1973 Edition published by Minerva and printed in West Germany
• 128 pages
• Illustrated throughout with 147 full-color images
  

{CONDITION}

In lovely vintage condition, this book is clean and bright throughout with no spots, stains, or notations. The dust jacket is entirely intact but contains some minor chipping along the top and bottom edge and light tanning on the front and foxing on the interior of the jacket. The coverboards are clean and bright, and all interior pages are in beautiful condition. The spine is tight, and all pages are intact. 

{SIZE}

Measures 10 inches (length) x 8 inches (width) x .75 inches thickness and weighs 1.12 lbs.