Abraham Munting, 1696

MUNTING, Abraham (1626-1683). Naauwkeurige Beschryving der Aardgewassen, waar in de veelerley Aart en byzondere Eigenschappen der Boomen, Heesters, Kruyden, Bloemen. Leiden and Utrecht: Pieter vander Aa and François Halma, 1696.

First expanded edition of one of the most attractive Dutch florilegia of the seventeenth century. Munting was professor of botany at the University of Groningen, and took over and enlarged the botanic garden founded by his father, Henricus. The present work depicts some of the exotic and remarkable plants growing in the garden. It is one of the earliest and most important documents concerning Japanese flora and its importation into the West, predating Thunberg’s works by almost one hundred years. "Munting wrote a number of works on medical-botanical topics, but his posthumously published opus magnum, the Naauwkeurige, enjoyed particular success, at least in part due to the novelty of the plates, which in a radical departure from the iconography of the traditional florilegium, presented its plant species against a charming series of landscape backgrounds ... The illustrations are remarkable for their elegance and originality" (Oak Spring Flora).

The initial botanical line drawings are now known to have been by about ten different but unidentified artists. Some time after Munting's death, and in preparation for their publication, these line drawings had tone and the pictorial back- and fore-grounds added by Jan Goeree (1670-1731) under the supervision of the publishers. The engraving and etching was then carried out by Jacob Gole and Joseph Mulder, engraver of many of plates in Maria Sibylla Merian’s work on the insects of Surinam. Hunt 396; Nissen BBI 1428; see Oak Spring flora 45.

Two volumes, folio (389 x 260mm). Half title, title printed in red and black with engraved vignette. Engraved additional title and 243 engraved plates (occasional toning). Contemporary Dutch blindstamped vellum with arabesque design (upper joint on vol 1 cracking). Provenance: Karl Magnussun (bookplate) – John David Drummond, 8th Earl of Perth, Viscount Strathallan, 1907-2002 (Strathallan bookplate, his sale, Christie's, 20 November 2003, lot 35).