"Bergamotti monstrosi"

Volckamer was a wealthy Nuremberg merchant. He was part of the new monied class of gentlemen who could afford to maintain hothouses where they grew tropical plants year round despite the harsh winters of northern Europe.  Volckamer's famous work, Nurnbergische Hesperides was published in Nuremberg between 1708 and 1714.  Many aspects of the style of Volckamer's engravings exhibit his familiarity with the monograph on citrus produced by Giovanni Ferrari half a century before, but Volckamer included remarkable backgrounds,  the hallmark of his work. His team of artists and engravers presented monumentally scaled prize varieties of fruit floating above far distant yet beautifully detailed landscapes of idealized European palaces, gardens and bucolic views. The striking images are appreciated by modern day collectors for their unusual compositions as well as for their value as records of garden plans.

9 x 14 inches, sheet.
Hand colored engraving.
Excellent condition.