Book of Herbs by Juan de Jaraba

Book of Herbs of Juan de Jaraba

One of the most influential scientific works of the 16th century in its Spanish translation: the famous herb book of the German doctor and “father of botany” Leonhart Fuchs. Published in 1542 under the title De historia stirpium, the standard botanical work was widely adapted and translated into Spanish in 1557 by Juan de Jaraba. The 500+ illustrated diagrams accompanying the descriptions of European and exotic plants still fascinate today and allow the beholder to immerse themselves in the spell of 16th century botany.

The Father of Botany

Whether rare grasses, flowering bushes, or curious fruits: they are all gathered, thoroughly described, and pictured in detailed illustrations in the famous herb book of Leonhart Fuchs. The German plant expert and doctor Leonhart Fuchs (1501–1566) was already famous in his lifetime and is still considered to be one of the “fathers of botany” today. Fuchs obtained great fame with his books of herbs in particular. Under the tile De historia stripium, he published his botanical magnum opus in 1542, which appeared in the German edition with the title New Kreüterbuch in 1543. The botanical overview enjoyed wide dissemination throughout Europe, also due to translations into other languages. One was translated into French, among others, and furnished with diagrams by Pierre Haultin.

The “Spanish Fuchs”

The great success of the herbalism and botany of Leonhart Fuchs also made Spanish scientists pay heed. The natural researcher Juan de Jarab, also known as Juan Jarava, was the one who finally translated the work into Spanish. Jaraba was a resident of Leuven in Belgium and is known for his botanical, mathematical, and natural-philosophical studies. His Historia de las yervas y plantas appeared in the year 1557, a Spanish adaptation of the work by Fuchs.

A Botanical Overview for Browsing and Studying

Juan de Jaraba adhered closely to the German example and even collected in his edition the botanical descriptions of the plants – with their names listed in Greek, Latin, and Spanish – with wonderful illustrations. Jaraba adopted these diagrams from the French edition. The text is adorned with beautifully designed initials. The Historia de las yervas y plantas was printed in Antwerp at the publishing house of Juan Lacio or Hans de Laet. The wonderful, detailed illustrations of botany have made the book a standard work of botany, in which the reader can immerse themselves in study just as the beholder can be entertained down to the present day.