Nicolas François Regnault and Geneviève de Nangis Regnault | La botanique, [1770]–1774–[1780], 3 volumes

Nicolas François Regnault and Geneviève de Nangis Regnault

La botanique mise à la portée de tout le monde; ou collection des plantes d'usage dans la medecine, dans les alimens et dans les arts. Paris: by the author and Didot le Jeune, [1770]–1774–[1780]

FIRST EDITION, 3 volumes, folio (480 x 365mm.), 3 hand-coloured engraved titles, 1 engraved leaf "Introduction à la Botanique" printed recto and verso, 474 hand-coloured engraved plates by or after the Regnaults, contemporary French mottled calf gilt, covers with triple fillet borders, spines in seven compartments, remaining compartments with repeat decoration in gilt made up of various small tools around a central flower motif, binding repaired in places

"Perhaps the most impressive French botanical book of the period" (Blunt & Stearn). The authors concentrated on plants that were useful, initially limiting the work to plants with medicinal uses: "notre object a été de figurer les plantes dont les hommes recherchent le secours dans les maladies qui les affligent," but eventually including edible plants and others of a wider use to man. The vast majority of the plates were drawn from life and a significant number are printed in brown. All show the subject plant, with a section of the root and details of flowers and fruits, and underneath each image an identification by its common name in as many European languages as possible. The facing single page of text includes an identification of the plant according to the classification system of Linnæus, Tournefort and Adanson, a botanical description of the plant followed by its uses, then general comments including historical references.

LITERATURE:

Dunthorne 256; Great Flower Books, p. 72; Nissen BBI 1600; Stafleu TL2 8810