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Rare books, Engravings

Title page of The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes

  • 1633

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Public Domain

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The title page engraving consists of three horizontal sections. At the top, God is represented in the center by the Tetragrammaton. From left to right, Cerce and Pomona are seated with the Garden of Eden between them. In the middle, from left to right Theophrastus and Dioscorides stand on either side of the title. At the bottom, the portrait of John Gerard is seated between two urns of flowers.

The lavishly illustrated title page was engraved by John Payne (1607-1647) for The Herball, or, Generall Historie of Plantes compiled by John Gerard (1545-1612) from works by Turner, Rembert Dodoens, Iacobus Theodorus, Pena and L'Obel. This English botanical book includes numerous woodcuts of plants. Woodcuts selected for digitization depict varieties of poppy, anemone, dragon fruit, and bananas, as well as cherry, fig, and date trees.

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Extent
  • 1 page
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Inscription
  • (Uppermost banner) "Ecce dedi vobis omnes herbas sementantes semen, quæ sunt. Gen. I.29."
  • (Above title) "Excideret ne tibit diunini muneris Author / Præsentem monstrat quælibet herba Deum."
  • (Central title) "The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes. / Gathered by John Gerarde of Lord on Master in Chirurgerie / Very much Enlarged and Amended by Thomas Johnson Citizen and Apothecarye of London"
  • (Beneath title) "London Printed by Adam Islip Joice Norton and Richard Whitakers / Anno 1633"
  • (Bottom right corner, beneath engraving) "Io : Payne sculps :"
Subject
Rights Public Domain Mark 1.0
Credit line
  • Courtesy of Science History Institute

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Cite as

Gerard, John, Rembert Dodoens, and Iacobus Theodorus. “Title Page of The Herball, or Generall Historie of Plantes.” In The Herball, or, Generall Historie of Plantes. London, England: Thomas Johnson, 1633. https://digital.sciencehistory.org/works/h3yk1xj.

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The Science History Institute recognizes there are materials in our collections that may be offensive or harmful, containing racist, sexist, Eurocentric, ableist, or homophobic language or depictions. The history of science is not exempt from beliefs or practices harmful to traditionally marginalized groups. The Institute is engaged in ongoing efforts to responsibly present and address the evidence of oppression and injustice inextricable from the history of science. If you would like to learn more about our ongoing efforts or if you encounter harmful, inaccurate, or insufficient descriptions, please contact us at digital@sciencehistory.org.