Garden of Eichstatt

This series derived from a ground-breaking book about a very historically significant garden. Hortus Eystettensis, one of the most important botanical books ever produced, was the vision of pharmacist Basilius Besler of Nuremburg who was hired by Prince Johann Konrad von Gemmingem, Prince Bishop of Eichstatt of Bavaria, to design and manage his extraordinary garden. To capitalize on the wealth of new plant life being discovered and brought back to Europe by the early explorers, the decision to create an international garden highlighting plants from various continents was an idea both bold and costly. As the project developed it was Besler who convinced the prince to invest in the creation of a book commemorating this important effort. Unlike any book before it, Hortus Eystettensis was created not for the scientist/botanist (many of whom had issues with the nomenclature and other specific details) but was a book made for those who loved plants for their aesthetic beauty and splendor. Hiring quality artists to render hundreds of elaborate images to tell the story of the garden and celebrate the beauty of the plants themselves was a remarkable achievement. The two huge volumes were artistic masterpieces and set a standard of botanical representation that influenced artists for centuries following.