Botany · 19th century
€ 190
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
Moderate overall toning with scattered foxing and light edge wear. Hand coloring remains clear. Visible plate impression. From a bound volume.
Antique Wildflower Botanical Print, Borage and Field Plants, Germany 1852
This original hand-colored lithograph illustrates a selection of common European wild and field plants, issued as Plate 31 from Landwirthschaftliche und technische Pflanzenkunde by Carl Gustav Calwer, published in Stuttgart in 1852. The composition presents several species arranged with botanical clarity, showing roots, stems, leaves, and flowers.
Among the plants depicted are borage (Borago officinalis), recognizable by its rough foliage and blue star-shaped flowers, and shepherd’s purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris), a characteristic arable-field plant with small white blossoms. Additional figures likely represent lamb’s lettuce (Valerianella) and a species of speedwell (Veronica), both common components of 19th-century agricultural landscapes.
Calwer’s work reflects the period’s strong interest in practical botany, documenting plants valued not only for cultivation but also for their culinary, medicinal, or ecological importance. The restrained palette and fine line work give the plate an airy and elegant presence, making it equally suitable for scientific collections and decorative interiors.
This plate works well as a standalone piece and appeals to collectors of botanical illustration, agricultural history, and natural history prints.
Condition report
Moderate overall toning with scattered foxing and light edge wear consistent with age. Hand coloring remains clear. Visible plate impression. From a bound volume.
Framing tips
Frame singly with a warm off-white or pale grey mat. Light oak or natural wood frames enhance the gentle botanical tones.
Technique: Hand-colored lithograph
Maker: Carl Gustav Calwer, Stuttgart, 1852
