Treatise on Fruit Trees Pl.16
Henri-Louis Duhamel du Monceau
1768
A charming 18th-century botanical plate breaks down the 'Cerisier à fleur Semi-double' (semi-double flowering cherry) with scientific precision and artistic flair. Drawn by the renowned Madeleine Basseporte and engraved by P.L. Cor for Duhamel du Monceau's famous treatise on fruit trees, it showcases everything from the delicate, ruffled white blossoms to the glossy red fruit. Notice how the artist even provides a cross-section of the cherry to reveal the pit inside, along with a detailed study of the seeds at the bottom. It's a perfect example of how Enlightenment-era scientists and artists collaborated to document the natural world before the invention of photography.
- Technique
- Hand-colored engraving