Botany · 19th century
€ 1 100
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Moderate toning and scattered light spotting. Overall very attractive.
Antique Indigo & Madder Botanical Print, Indigofera & Rubia Tinctorum, c.1831
This complex botanical engraving depicts Indigofera tinctoria alongside Rubia Tinctorum (madder), two of the most important dye plants in global textile history. The plate includes foliage, flowers, roots, and sectional studies.
Published in Zenker’s Merkantilische Waarenkunde, the image documents the botanical foundations of blue and red dye production, essential to European and colonial textile industries.
Original hand coloring is well balanced, with soft greens and warm reds creating visual interest across the composition.
Condition report:
Moderate toning and scattered light spotting. Overall very attractive.
Framing tips:
An ivory mat with a darker frame highlights the complexity of the composition.
Technique: Copper engraving with original hand coloring
Maker: Jonathan Carl Zenker, Germany, 1831–1832
