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| BIOGRAPHY OF BASILIUS BESLER |
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Basilius Besler was a pharmacist and botanist who oversaw the extensive gardens of Johann Von Grimmingen, the Prince-Bishop of Eichstatt, Germany. The impressive gardens contained specimens from all over the world. In the early seventeenth century, under the patronage of the Bishop, Besler recorded life size images of each of the plants and arranged them by season. The beauty of these artfully designed images lies in Besler's rhythmical flow of the roots, stems, leaves, and flowers. The Hortus Eystettensus was the first truly original herbal of the Renaissance and is one of the largest botanical images in the four hundred years of graphic art. Less than 300 copies were printed on a heavy laid for the first edition in 1613. Text on the reverse side documents the next image to follow. A second edition, also on heavy laid paper, was issued wihtout text in 1636-1640. Besler's family issued a third edition in 1713 (with text) on a thin screened paper. Only twenty or so volumes were colored at the time, the rest being colored later.
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