Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest

Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest – Aboca Museum – Varia 291 – Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma (Rome, Italy)

Leeuwarden (Netherlands) — 1668

The Dutch Baroque and the art of the botanical still life: Franciscus de Geest's 201 impressively naturalistic and detailed paintings of the most beautiful exotic and native plants

  1. Franciscus de Geest (1638–1699) recorded plants both exotic and common in 201 botanically correct depictions

  2. The author of this gem was a Dutch baroque painter, famous above all for his portraits and still lives

  3. He devoted special attention to the tulip in his book in addition to other plants

Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest

  1. Description
  2. Detail Picture
  3. Single Page
  4. Facsimile Editions (1)
Description
Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest

Splendid daffodils, lush peonies, elegant carnations, and tulips, which were coveted above all others in the 17th century, are the main characters of this exceptional botanical book: the gorgeous Hortus amoenissimus by Franciscus de Geest, a Dutch baroque artist. In the year 1668, de Geest recorded the world of plants both exotic and common in 201 marvelously vivid, simultaneously botanically correct, and elaborately colored depictions. A gem of 17th century botanical enthusiasm!

Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest

The tulip was undoubtedly the queen of flowers in the 17th c. Netherlands. Coming originally from Turkey, they were well-known in Europe since the 16th century. The tulip developed into a trend in Holland above all, which unleashed a real boom for bulbous plants. The plants became a sumptuous status symbol and a regular object of speculation.

A Gifted Flower Painter

Franciscus de Geest devoted special attention to this tulip in his book Hortus Amoenissimus Omnigenis Floribus, Plantis, Stirpibus, etc. etc. etc.. In addition to the varieties of tulips, numerous other types of plants and flowers were included, both native as well as exotic. The author of this gem, Franciscus de Geest (1638–1699), was a Dutch baroque painter, famous above all for his portraits and still lives. He came from a family of painters in Leeuwarden, his father was the painter Wybrand de Geest, who could boast ties of kinship with the great Rembrandt. Franciscus de Geest probably learned the art of painting flowers in Antwerp.

Over 200 Splendid Flowers

The famous florilegium by Franciscus de Geest, the renowned Hortus amoenissimus is stored under the shelf mark Varia 291 in the Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma. Originating from Dutch Leeuwarden, the book contains 201 depictions of flowers as they would have been cultivated in botanical gardens of that time. The drawings are wonderfully colored with luminous watercolors, the depictions of the plants are depicted in a manner that is both vivid and botanically correct. The work presumably originated at the behest of Prince Willem Frederik von Nassau, Stadtholder of Friesland, who had a famous garden installed in Leeuwarden.

Codicology

Alternative Titles
Hortus amoenissimus... von Franciscus de Geest
Size / Format
201 pages / 44.7 × 28.3 cm
Date
1668
Style
Language
Illustrations
201 drawings
Artist / School

Available facsimile editions:
Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest – Aboca Museum – Varia 291 – Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma (Rome, Italy)
Aboca Museum – Sansepolcro, 2011
Limited Edition: not limited
Detail Picture

Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest

Peony

Identified here as Paonia, the Peony or genus Paeonia is a perennial flower that grows across Eurasia and Western North America. They are characterized by their fragrant flowers with a thick tangle of petals and a short blooming season, usually only 10 days. Nonetheless, peonies are among the most popular plants selected for gardens in temperate regions. Although virtually all colors are represented by the various species of peony, the artist has chosen a wonderful deep red here.

Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest – Aboca Museum – Varia 291 – Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma (Rome, Italy)
Single Page

Hortus Amoenissimus Omnigenis Floribus, Plantis, Stirpibus, etc.

African Marigold

Classified in Latin as Tagetes erecta this flowering perennial originates from Mexico, but is often falsely described as African, including in this otherwise flawless Baroque watercolor by Franciscus de Geest, which presents both the yellow and orange varieties. At the bottom, the flower is depicted with most of its pedals removed so that the stamen is revealed.

The Mexican or Aztec Marigold was used by the Aztecs for medicinal, ceremonial, and decorative purposes. It is widely cultivated today and is still used in Mexico as décor for the annual Día de Muertos. Additionally, the plant has proven medicinal properties, including as an antioxidant, and can even be added to perfumes to infuse them with a scent of apple.

Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest – Aboca Museum – Varia 291 – Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma (Rome, Italy)
Facsimile Editions

#1 Hortus amoenissimus... di Franciscus de Geest

Aboca Museum – Sansepolcro, 2011
Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest – Aboca Museum – Varia 291 – Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma (Rome, Italy)
Hortus amoenissimus... by Franciscus de Geest – Aboca Museum – Varia 291 – Biblioteca Nazionale Centrale di Roma (Rome, Italy) Photos with courtesy of the publisher

Publisher: Aboca Museum – Sansepolcro, 2011
Limited Edition: not limited
Binding: Gold-stamped brown leather binding Presented with the commentary volume in an elegant brown leather Solander box
Commentary: 1 volume (96 pages) by Maria M. Breccia Fratadocchi, Gerda C. Huisman, and Alessandro Menghini
Languages: English, Italian
1 volume: Exact reproduction of the original document (extent, color and size) Reproduction of the entire original document as detailed as possible (scope, format, colors). The binding may not correspond to the original or current document binding.
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