[Florilegium], Nicolaus Guillelmus a florae Lotharingus. Fecit Romae 1638.
Eur 10,000 / USD 10,500
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[Paris], Pierre Mariette, 1638. Small oblong 4to (190 x 290mm). Engraved throughout, title-portraitwithin border of flowers, 12 plates of flowers, all by Delafleur (some neat marginal repairs, old crease marks with very small tears to plates numbered 8 and 9, all but two plates pricked for transfer or showing the marks from an adjoining plate). Contemporary limp vellum (neatly rebacked, ties lacking).
Bulbous plants predominate (daffodils, narcissi, jonquils, tulips, blue-bells, lilies and fritillaries)
First edition of this rare set of decorative plates, the de Belder copy (a variant before the addition of the privilege) is the only copy we could trace having been sold in the last 20 years. Born in Lorraine, Delafleur was known in Rome, where he worked for Cardinal Barberinni, as 'Monsù Fiore' Monsieur Flower) in recognition of his great skill in depicting floral subjects. The present work, unlike many other 17th century botanical works, does not seem to be based on any earlier models.The plates each feature two or more varieties or species, with six plates depicting small bunches tied with ribbons around their stalks. Bulbous plants predominate (daffodils, narcissi, jonquils, tulips, blue-bells, lilies and fritillaries) but the work also includes irises, carnations and roses.
Hunt 232 ('rather rare'); Berlin Kat. II, 4416 (incomplete); Thieme-Becker 3:578.