Medieval botanical illustration

Pictura of Paradin, Claude: Devises heroïques (1557): Ab insomni non custodita Dracone.

15th century illustrated herbal from Northern Italy. Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries

Plant detail from British Library Harley MS 4986 (medieval illustrated pharmacopeial compilation, late 11th century-2nd half of 12th century), f13v

Mandragora

Plants in the Beautiful Dangers are either poisonous or have been thought to be poisonous at different times in history. Hemlock, Cannabis, Hemlock, even the rose. Tiles based on medieval illustration from the Juliana Codex (Vienna Dioscorides), the De Materia Medica of Pedranius Dioscorides.

A branch from an oak tree with acorns; illustration to an unidentified Latin edition of Sebastian Münster, 'Cosmographia', probably printed by Petri in Basel, c.1544-52. Woodcut

The Hague, KB, 72 A 23 Chapter 113 The trees and their symbolic significance: Olive-Tree and the Fifth Beatitude ~ Sermon on the Mount Fol. 90v: drawing (coloured)