A Curious Herbal
Elizabeth Blackwell's Pioneering Masterpiece of Botanical Art
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Abbeville Press Inc.,U.S.
Published:19th Apr '23
Should be back in stock very soon
"This gorgeous book has the heft of an ancient herbal. It is a treasure for anyone interested in the healing properties of plants. Blackwell’s precise depictions... are beautifully reproduced. It is a joy to turn every page." — Susan Fraser, Director Emerita of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, New York Botanical Garden
"The [text], so carefully researched, for the first time provides what feels to be a factual and fascinating insight into Blackwell’s life and the depth of her endeavor, in a world dominated by men, whilst dispelling some of the myths and misinformation that surrounded her." — Sue Medway, Director and Curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden, London
“Magnificent and long-overdue, it will surely become an essential reference for scholars of Blackwell, and anyone interested in 18th century botany.” — Will Beharrell, Librarian of the Linnean Society of London
"As a wife and mother excluded from the male institutions of eighteenth-century British botany and medicine, Elizabeth Blackwell created her Curious Herbal against tremendous odds. In this new edition, Blackwell’s gorgeous plates bloom afresh, while two engaging essays―by Martha McDowell and Janet Stiles Tyson―vividly capture the life and times of this brave, talented woman. Almost three centuries on, this stunning volume does justice to Blackwell’s great achievement in medical botany." ― Victoria Johnson, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist for American Eden
A complete edition of the first herbal published by a woman artist—which has a remarkable backstory
In the 1730s, Elizabeth Blackwell (1699–c. 1758) found herself penniless, with her ne’er-do-well husband confined to a London debtor’s prison. A talented artist, she came up with a unique and ambitious moneymaking scheme: the publication of a new illustrated guide to medicinal plants, including many New World species not depicted in earlier books. Blackwell’s Curious Herbal, published between 1737 and 1739, was hailed for its usefulness to doctors and apothecaries and met with considerable financial success.
This magnificent volume—the first modern edition of Blackwell’s herbal—reproduces all 500 of her exquisite plates. Blackwell not only made the drawings, but prepared the copper plates and personally hand-coloured them. Her handwritten descriptions of the plants, which she creatively adapted (with permission) from Joseph Miller’s Botanicum Officinale, retain considerable interest. This book features a...
"That Elizabeth Blackwell’s A Curious Herbal has been reprinted in full, gives credit to its longevity as a text and set of illustrations that have stood the test of time and remain relevant and worthy of recognition to this day. The introduction by Marta McDowell and subsequent essay by Janet Stiles Tyson, so carefully researched, for the first time provide what feels to be a factual and fascinating insight into Blackwell’s life and the depth of her endeavor, in a world dominated by men, whilst dispelling some of the myths and misinformation that surrounded her." - Sue Medway, Director and Curator of the Chelsea Physic Garden, London
"In this new edition, Blackwell’s gorgeous plates bloom afresh, while two engaging essays―by Martha McDowell and Janet Stiles Tyson―vividly capture the life and times of this brave, talented woman." - Victoria Johnson, National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize finalist for American Eden
"This gorgeous book has the heft of an ancient herbal. It is a treasure for anyone interested in the healing properties of plants. Blackwell’s precise depictions... are beautifully reproduced. It is a joy to turn every page." - Susan Fraser, Director Emerita of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, New York Botanical Garden
“Magnificent and long-overdue, it will surely become an essential reference for scholars of Blackwell, and anyone interested in 18th century botany.” - Will Beharrell, Librarian of the Linnean Society of London
"The book is a captivating look at a moment when science, medicine, and — at least in the case of Blackwell — gender dynamics were drastically shifting in Britain. It’s a valuable reminder that more historical heroines are waiting to be rediscovered; we just need to look closely." - Hyperallergic
"A woman of courage, ingenuity, determination and curiosity, Elizabeth Blackwell has an extraordinary story that deserves to be retold. Excellent scholarship by Janet Stiles Tyson and her discovery of a previously unrecorded manuscript written by Blackwell, unveil new information about Blackwell’s rogue husband and family lineage....This gorgeous book has the heft of an ancient herbal. It is a treasure for anyone interested in the healing properties of plants. Blackwell’s precise depictions... are beautifully reproduced. It is a joy to turn every page." - Susan Fraser, Director Emerita of the LuEsther T. Mertz Library, New York Botanical Garden
A Curious Herbal is nominated for the CBHL (Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries) Annual Literature Award in the USA. - The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries
2024 Annual Literature Award Winners - Award of Excellence in History to A curious herbal: Elizabeth Blackwell’s pioneering masterpiece of botanical art (June 2024) - The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries
- Winner of The CBHL 2024 Annual Literature Award - Award of Excellence in History 2024 (UK)
ISBN: 9780789214539
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 2196g
552 pages